RWBY: Grey
by PoyntFury
Summary: When a teenage vigilante saves the right (or wrong) person, his life gets turned completely upside-down. He's not exactly ready for what's coming, but then again... what's coming isn't exactly ready for him! !Alternate Universe, !OP OC. Rated M for Violence, Gore, Language, and Lemons.
1. Chapter 1 - Yuri

**RWBY Grey: Chapter 1**

 **The italics in this chapter only signify a flashback. The standard font inside the italics are thoughts.**

He still wasn't sure exactly how he had ended up in the weapon shop with the man, on the other end of town, where everything was ten times more expensive. It wasn't exactly the type of place he frequented. Nonetheless, when he had finished off the thugs and the man requested that he accompany him, he complied. It should have been simple, but then again, simple things... rarely stay simple.

 _Yuri listened with amusement as the thugs in the nearby alley accosted one another. Apparently they had fucked up the last hold up they had put on some poor Faunus woman. Apparently she had already felt a bit uneasy in that neighborhood, so when she saw them coming she pulled out a knife. That was enough to scare off most of them. But one guy was stupid and went for her anyway. He ended up with a pretty deep cut on his hamstring, and the cops picked him up a little later, dazed and in pain on the side of the street_

 _"It's not gonna fuckin' matter man! That stupid fuck would have gotten us caught on any big jobs, so good fucking riddance! But you know what? Let's hit the next mother fucker that walks by the alley." One of them said. Yuri grimaced and checked that his mask was secured on his head, he hadn't expected to have to do anything today, but he carried around the Beowulf Mask that he had bought years back everywhere he went. His grimace only deepened when he saw a figure making their way down the street. He stood up, his tattered cloak was motionless, even in the mid-day breeze. He raised it's hood over his head._ It looks like I have to intervene... and today was supposed to be peaceful.

 _He made his way down the same side of the street as the figure, and after coming closer, discovered that it was a man, and one with a cane at that._ Well it looks like it's your lucky day, I'd venture to say that you're unprepared for the pain you'd have to experience if I hadn't been here. _He slowed slightly as the man got closer. The man was fully aware of what he had in front of him, and he sidestepped to avoid colliding with Yuri. But, Yuri had prepared for it, feigning a sidestep in the same direction, making it seem like a complete accident. Their shoulders collided, and in the instant following, Yuri slipped his hand into the mans pocket, removing his Lien._

 _The man curtly apologized, and Yuri gave a slight bow of apology as well. He turned and ducked into the nearby alleyway. Then peeked his head around the corner. Moments later, the man was tackled to the ground._ Wait, didn't they say hit? They definitely aren't holding him up. _Yuri sprinted out from the alley and careened over to the one adjacent. He was far from silent, and the men had turned around to see who had made the commotion. "Shit, it's Kallen... fucking kill him!"_ Kill. _Everything around him slowed down, making movements of any merit irrelevant._ God dammit, I didn't need my fucking Semblance to kick in right now, but then again it was better than the other option... I might as well. " _Peace Keeper."_

 _One of them had taken a position at the front of the alley to watch for any cops. Cops were about as willing to come to this part of town as the rich fucks on the other side of it. This was the main reason why he had begun my work in this area. The crime around here dropped quite significantly since he showed up. Well, he supposed people get a little nervous when they hear that some guy ripped another guys arm off just for starting a bar fight. It was a fake arm, but even still, the notion of dismemberment was enough for some of the petty thieves to give up their bad habits right there._

 _These guys were a different breed though, the watchman charged... or at least attempted to charge him. But Yuri sidestepped out of his range slipping around his arms and taking the man's chin in his hand. He pressed his thumb to the man's jaw and in one motion, wrenched it loose from it's sockets._ **One**. _The man dropped to the ground almost instantly, writhing and screaming in agony. This prompted the others to turn around. Once they had comprehended the situation, they stood, turning their attentions away from their victim. One of them revealed a knife and the other a small pistol. "I don't suppose we can settle this without making stupid decisions?" Yuri asked._

 _The knife wielder responded by making a mad dash towards him, knife pointed at his gut. Yuri sighed, noticing the gunman aiming his way. He lunged forward, grabbing the man nearest him by his wrist, he spun him around and leapt into the air over him. The man fired his weapon before he even had a chance to comprehend this, and the round slammed into his partner's shoulder._ **Two** _Yuri landed rather gracefully in front of the gunman, and rammed his fist into his chest. The mans ribs offered no resistance to the assault, and moments later, he too was on the ground in pain._ **Three.**

 _That was it, it was over, and just like that, time moved at normal pace again. The man they had intended to victimize had already stood up to his feet, and after a moment of inspection, Yuri discovered that he was unharmed. Not even shaken, it seemed. "I appreciate your assistance." He said. Yuri nodded somewhat unenthusiastic-ally as he searched the pockets of the now unconscious thugs. He pulled out several Lien cards and slipped them into his pocket. He recalled several times where he had attempted to return them to the banks or owners they had previously belonged to, but it always ended in the same way, with them giving them to him as thanks._

 _He turned and pulled the man's Lien out of his cloak, offering them to him. "I assumed prematurely that they were trying to rob you, so I took them with the intention of returning them to you after they realized you weren't worth anything." Yuri explained to him. He nodded, a rather amused expression on his face. "Had I known their intentions, this conversation wouldn't have been necessary." The man put his finger on his chin, completely ignoring Yuri's words. He turned to the cloaked man. "Why did you save me?" He asked. Yuri was slightly taken aback at the question._

 _"Honestly? If you're looking for genuine philosophy behind my reasoning, you won't find it. I simply believe that if you can help someone in trouble, you should." Yuri said with a slight shrug. "I just happen to make helping others my... profession of sorts." He finished. The man pondered on Yuri's reply for a moment, then took the Lien chips he had held out. He gestured to the alley's entrance. "I'd like you to accompany me somewhere." He turned and began making his way to the street._

 _That's how he ended up in the shop... but the conversation that they had on the way there still didn't make sense to him. The man was the Headmaster of Beacon Academy, and wanted Yuri to take part in the Huntsman Training Courses. A Huntsman? Why? What exactly did he have to offer in that field? He had no desire to kill, and no desire to start fights... he wanted to protect those who would get taken advantage of._ Even still, he took a long look at the modifications to weapons, both ranged and melee, that the store was offering. He pulled out a small notebook and pencil from one of the bags on his back. He began scrawling notes about modifications: _Double-edged boshin... weighted sentan… leather tsuba... retractable... solid steel kagi with Ursa Bone Marrow._ He smiled to himself, the product would be incredibly expensive with these mods, but he could afford it.

The Headmaster looked over Yuri's shoulder. "Quite an interesting weapon choice you've made." He mused. "But what about a firearm of sorts?" He asked. Yuri spun his chest around and began digging in the same bag the notebook came from. He pulled out a second notebook and began rapidly flipping through its pages. He found the page he was searching for, and tore it from the ring. He handed it to the Headmaster. "This is theoretical, but if they can produce a working model, that would be wonderful." He said with a smile. Although he meant what he had said, he really didn't expect them to be able to create what he had designed.

He tore the list of modifications out as well, and offered both of the slips of paper to the cashier. She looked down at them, then back up at him. "This one." She said, waving the melee weapon specification in the air. "We can do this without a doubt, but the other one." She said holding the pistol's specification close to her face, giving it a serious amount of thought. "This other one, we'll have to take a look at... but I think we can do something with it." She said with a smile, one that Yuri returned. "That's fine, how much is this going to cost?" He asked. She shook her head. "We don't charge until we've delivered the product. We'll arrange a time of delivery with the Headmaster." She said. Nodding towards the man next to me.

They seemingly reached an agreement after a few moments, but Yuri had lost interest in their conversation, his mind wandering. _I wonder what the courses entail... I doubt there's anything physical that can worry me... but don't Huntsman and Huntresses work in teams? That may be a problem, I don't do well in groups._ The Headmaster tapped him on the shoulder. "Everything's prepared, let's move on to Beacon." He said with a smile. Yuri nodded, sighing internally to himself. _I guess I'll just have to find out._

 _Not... exactly what I was expecting._ Yuri stared in wonder at the school grounds as he and the Headmaster, who had finally introduced himself to Yuri as Ozpin, made their way off of the airship and down the stairs. Yuri had placed his cloak back on in the airship, and he pulled his hood up as soon as his feet touched solid ground. Ozpin turned to him while they made their way to the entrance. Some of the students who were scattered around the grounds had turned their gazes to the pair. "You don't have to hide at this school, Yuri... you can show everyone who you are here." He said with a smile. Yuri lowered his gaze to the ground, smiling as he did so, although none could see it beneath his cloak. "This is who I am... I'm an irrelevant figure that fades into the background, only to truly have meaning when someone's in need." He said.

"Perhaps that's how you feel now, but once you've become a full-fledged Huntsman, we'll see how relevant you think you are." He said. By this time they had already passed through the entryway and were making their way up the stairs. After a few moments of silence, the two had reached a larger door upstairs. "Please wait here, in my office, while I look for someone." He said. Yuri nodded, and opened the door. He walked into the large office, and a woman turned around on the spot to face him. "And you are?" She asked. Yuri looked at her. Blonde hair, tall, at least six-foot-four. She had a cold demeanor, and Yuri doubted that she took jokes with a light heart.

"Yuri Kallen." He said. Her eyes locked with his, and her gaze began drifting over his cloak. "Please remove that so I can do a vital reading." She requested. Yuri complied, slipping the brown cloak over his head. The woman looked at him, then pulled out her Scroll. "Please inform if any of the readings that I receive are incorrect." She said. Yuri nodded in response. She began. "Name: Yuri Kallen. Age: 17 Years. Race: Human. Height: Five foot, ten inches. Weight: 140 pounds. Hair Color and Type: Ashen Grey, short and wavy. Complexion: Light Tan. Eye Color: Yellowish Silver. Dominant Hand: Right... Is that all correct?" She asked. Yuri paused, a little overwhelmed with the speed at which she had presented the information. Once he was certain that all presented was factual, he nodded. "Yes, that's all correct."

She looked intently at the Scroll for a moment. "Mr. Kallen, do you use your Aura for combat?" She asked. Yuri pondered the question. _Does she mean...oh!_ "Yes I do." He responded. "Please demonstrate it for me." She requested. _Oh... how... should I go about this?_ He tensed his arms, allowing his Aura to flow through them more freely. The air around them adopted a black haze, giving them the appearance of having fur. There was a knock at the door. Giving Yuri a start and dissipating the Aura he had amassed. "Glynda, have you finished with him?" Ozpin's voice was barely audible through the massive door. "Yes, I'm satisfied with him." She called out.

The door opened and Ozpin stepped in, followed by a girl. She was short, and had dark red hair. She had a rather happy disposition, which Yuri found strange, but also soothing. Ozpin walked to the other side of the desk and sat down in his chair. "Ruby, this is Yuri, the young man I was informing you about." He said, gesturing towards him. The girl looked at Yuri and smiled happily. "Nice to meet you." She said. Yuri nodded politely. "You as well." He turned back to Ozpin. "So, why is she here?" He asked curiously. Ozpin nodded expectantly. "This is Ruby Rose, the leader of Team RWBY, as you know, Huntsmen and Huntresses work in teams. Ruby's team is the one I've decided to assign you to." He explained.

 _Ah, okay, considering the leader's disposition, I guess it could be worse._ Yuri nodded at this. "Ruby, take Yuri with you to the dorms, have him meet the rest of your team." Ozpin said. Ruby gave a rather silly salute. "Got it! Come on, let's head out." She said to Yuri. Yuri nodded and smiled. _Yeah, it could definitely be worse._ "Oh, Yuri, now that Glynda has all of your measurements, we'll have your uniform ready in the next few days." He said. Yuri turned away and threw his hand into the air. "Understood, see you then." He said. Before mentally punching himself. _When in the hell did I accept becoming a HUNTSMAN? Ahhhh, oh well, I'm here now, might as well try to enjoy it._

The two of them walked down the halls together, and as his eye passed over several groups of students, it occurred to him that Ruby was a bit younger than the norm. "So, Ruby, how did someone so young impress the Headmaster so much that he enrolled you despite the age difference?" He asked. "You must be rather incredible for him to just ignore the rules, although considering that he just enrolled someone with no experience in this field... I get the notion that rules aren't exactly relevant to him." He finished. She laughed. "Well, I got into a fight with some thugs who were robbing a store, and he saw the whole thing." She said. "What about you?" She asked in return. "Ummm, honestly, basically the exact same thing." He replied with a laugh.

They continued laughing and going on about their respective encounters with Ozpin, and in what seemed like moments, they were at the door to the dorm. "Well, I should warn you about everyone else. The blonde girl is my sister, she's nice, and I'm sure you two will get along. The white haired girl is my partner, she's an ice queen, through and through. And then there's Blake, black hair, really pretty, but she's quiet, so just don't bother her too much, and you'll be alright." She said. Yuri nodded, before realizing what the girl had just implied. "So... I'm... the only guy on this team?" He asked. She nodded. "I guess someone should have mentioned that... probably, sorry." She said. He laughed at her uncertain response. "It'll be fine... probably." He said. With that Ruby reached for the door.

 **WHAM!**

 _Well... shit._


	2. Chapter 2 - Equipment

**Thanks to all of those who have already giving this story support. I really appreciate it. Cheers.**

 **WHAM!**

It was a door, an... uncomfortably close door. The ridiculously loud sound was a result of Yuri's hand shielding his face from the unhinged... broken... door. _Okay, not exactly... what I had expected._ Ruby had begun to panic, her hands thrown into the air. "Yang! What is wrong with you?" She screamed. He couldn't see the assailant, but he could hear her. "Oops... sorry about that. Hey, someone else there with you?" She asked. Yuri listened closely to her voice. _Middling pitch, taller than average height. She sounds friendly, and genuinely apologetic._ Ruby took Yuri's lack of movement as lack of consciousness. "Well... he was here, I think he might be dead." Yuri responded by throwing the door off of himself. "I'm fine, just wondering if I should get used this kind of thing." He pondered worriedly.

He felt a bit... well... unusual about things now. Ruby could see it on his face, despite the hood of his cloak hiding most of it. "Well... they don't usually get this rowdy. Sorry, is your arm alright?" She asked. "You blocked it with your arm?" The blonde exclaimed. Yuri smirked, despite knowing that the girls now visible in front of him. "You launched it with your arm, no? So why can't I block it with mine?" He asked. The girl pondered, then shrugged her shoulders. "Well, most people can't just take that without a problem." She said with a laugh. "I suppose you're right, maybe next time you'll take that into account... preferably before, you launch a door across the hall." He said.

She nodded in affirmation. "We should go in now." Ruby said with a rather nervous laugh. _I'm not sure if they're being friendly... or if they're testing one another._ She sighed and stepped over the door, which was lying into the floor. Yuri followed behind her. The blonde, Yang, spoke up. "So sis, who's this?" She asked. Ruby perked up a bit. "Everyone, this is our new team member... Yuri Kallen." She said. Yuri gave a slight bow. The blonde straightened up a bit. She was only a little shorter than him. She stuck her hand out, and he took it in a firm, but still rather friendly handshake. "I'm Yang, you've already met my little sister." She said.

Another of the girls lifted her head and gave a slight, sweet smile. "Nice to meet you, I'm Blake." She said. The other girl turned towards Yuri, giving a slight dismissive wave. He smiled. _Ah, the "ice queen"._ "I'm Weiss, it's nice to meet you." She said. He nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you all." He said. Yang jumped at some realization. "Hey, wait, if you blocked the door, does that mean you're strong?" She asked. Yuri looked down to the floor for a moment, before deciding on his answer. "I'm... confident in my physical capabilities." He said. She grinned. "Prepared to back that up?" She asked. He looked at her, then grinned himself. "Only if I can prove myself against you." He said. Yang's eyes lit up with excitement. "Awesome, how about tomorrow?" She said.

 _That could be fun, I don't like having to hold back, but unfortunately most of the criminals I fight are so weak that I have to. This could be a good chance to let loose some of the stress I've been feeling._ "Very well, that sounds like a wonderful idea." He said. Blake and Weiss looked at each other. Blake had a slight grimace on her face. _This guy might actually die if he fights Yang._ He grasped the drawstrings on his cloak and undid them, pulling the knot in them and lifting the cloak over his head.

Yang stared in awe as he did. _He's not bad looking at all._ He turned the cloak inside out, revealing the three small bags tied to it. He pulled off the bags and set them near the door. "What's that?" Yang asked. "Uhhh, it's... mostly money... but there are some other things in there as well." He said. He sniffed the air for a moment. _Is... that... cat fur? Oh, god no._ He sucked in a breath, then let out a dry, painful sneeze. "Oh, shit! Is there a cat in here? I can smell it." He said. The four girls shook their heads simultaneously.

Yuri sniffed the air for a moment. Turning his heads in each of their directions as he did. "No... there's definitely a cat. I may be a human, but my senses are better than most Faunus." He said, pride not lacking. His eyes fell on Blake, and she could feel his yellow-grey eyes searching her, looking for some sign if her true self. He stepped forward and glared down at her, his eyes focusing on her bow. "My nose... it's never wrong." He started. She had to do everything in her power to keep herself from shaking. She felt something akin to what a cat feels before a dog chases it down. His eyes softened, then he smiled. "But... I suppose it might be this time." He said, before backing away.

Blake sighed in relief as a knock was heard at the door. _Who fixed the door already?_ "Mr. Kallen, your purchases are ready." A voice came from the other side. "Umm... my weapons?" Yuri asked confused. The door opened, and the same woman at the register from before forced her way into the room. She handed Yuri a small black bag, which he opened. _My uniform... so much for the next few days._ The woman pushed past the girls and set two separate cases down on the dresser in the back.

She turned and made a gesture towards them. "Mr. Kallen. Please feel free to inspect and test the weapons before I leave." She said. Yuri shrugged and put the bag on the ground and walked to the dresser. He lifted the smaller case and pulled out the sheathed weapon. He slid the two separate blades from it and held them against the light. "What's that?" Ruby asked. Yuri smiled and pointed it at her. "It's a jitte." He said simply. He elaborated after he realized none of them really understood.

He pointed to the long rod that comprised the main body of the weapon. "This is a heavy, superheated steel rod, it's incredibly durable, and can crush bones with a single swing." He said, then moved his focus to the smaller, bladed attachment. "This... is a detachable blade, made of multi-fold carbon. It's one of the strongest, and sharpest, blades that can be forged." He said. He reached out and grabbed the small extender that connected the two pieces, twisted, and then popped it out. He turned the now two blades towards his back, holding them facing away from him. "These are used in a backhanded manner known as Zatoichi Style, and are meant for close range engagements." He said.

Yang spoke up. "It doesn't seem like they'd be too much use against some of the more agile Grimm." She said with some concern. Yuri smiled and placed the separated pieces back together, then slid them back into their sheath. He patted the larger case. "That's what this is for." He laughed. He picked up the case and undid the fastenings, popping it open. Inside was what looked like a standard military assault rifle at first glance. He lifted it out of its case and opened the window next to the dresser.

"Three modes... first, a long range Gauss Cannon." He said. The rifle had a small black box on its back, and Yuri pressed a small button on it and a soft whirring began emitting from the box. He turned a small dial on the rifle's receiver, and a soft blue glow formed in its chamber. He pointed the barrel out the open window and squeezed the trigger. Nothing... then _**whuuuuuuu-crack!**_ The blue light condensed and shot out of the barrel like lightning bolt. The light flew across the grounds and into the forest a few miles away. A burst of light escaped the leaves of the trees.

"It fires a highly magnetized pulse slugs at a speed of seven thousand feet per second, it's capable of shredding flesh, concrete, steel, you name it." He said, before turning the dial again. "Second mode, a fully functional assault rifle that fires medium caliber rounds at a eight hundred rounds per minute." He pulled the trigger again, and the rifle emitted a familiar bark as the rounds ripped out of the chamber. He smiled. "This function, with the size of the round, and the high fire rate, is efficient at eliminating Beowolves and Ursa with no challenge. And finally, mode three." He said, turning the dial a final time.

He pulled the trigger, and a sound similar to a flyswatter slapping against a wall was audible from the weapon. "This is a high yield Flechette shotgun, that unloads forty five tiny Flechette needles. This function is incredibly effective against airborne targets... or Nevermore." He said, turning to the woman. Two impressive pieces. They're perfect, how much will they cost?" He asked. She put her hands up in a dismissive motion. "The Headmaster said he'd-" "Absolutely not." Yuri interrupted. "I can afford them, and I don't like having debts, so how much?" He asked again.

She sighed. "The total will be... five million Lien." She said. The girls expressed surprise at the cost, but Yuri was unconcerned. "Very well." Was all he said as he walked back towards the door and picked up the largest bag near the door. He undid its string and dumped the contents, hundreds of Lien cards of different colors, on the floor. He scanned the cards for a moment, then picked up three of them. One solid black card and two silver ones. "The black card has one million, and the silver ones have two million apiece. If you'd like to verify them here, feel free to do so." He said as he handed the cards to the now dumbfounded woman.

She pulled out her Scroll and ran each of them across its surface. "Hmmm, verified, two million. Verified, two million. And... verified, one million." She said, then bowed towards Yuri. "We appreciate your patronage, Mr. Kallen." She turned around and made her way to the door before turning back again. "Umm, what would you like us to tell the Headmaster about the payment?" She asked. Yuri pondered for a moment, then answered. "I refuse to owe any debts." He said with a nod. The woman returned the nod and left the room.

Yuri avoided the eyes of the girls, who had honest questions about his money. He picked up the black bag with his uniform in it and pulled out the top. Yang looked at it quizzically. "How did they get your size so quickly?" She asked. He laughed. "The first person I met other than Ozpin was that really strict woman, and she profiled me pretty quick after I got here." He said. He lifted his black undershirt over his head, revealing his rather scarred, muscular form. Yang gave a sharp whistle of appreciation, making Yuri laugh. "Hey... you're not getting too much... this is a free show after all." He chuckled. She grinned in return as Yuri threw on the white undershirt, then slipped the uniform on. "Any chance of me seeing more?" She asked.

Yuri's eyes grew as wide as the grin on his face. "Well that... wasn't subtle at all... but... maybe." He said. The two of them locked eyes for a moment, then burst into laughter. Weiss looked around the room for a moment. "Umm, I hate to ruin the flirting session you two have going on, but, where is Yuri supposed to sleep?" She asked. Yuri looked at her as though she had slapped him. "Ummm, I don't sleep." He said succinctly. She looked at him for a moment, clearly searching for an indication of jest. She didn't find one. "Wait you're serious?" She asked in disbelief.

He looked at her. "Well... to be honest... I don't even remember what sleeping is like... it's been about four years since I last slept." He said. "My aura... is so intense that it keeps me awake. I can fall unconscious sometimes... but not because of anything I do." He said. Weiss looked at him again. "Then, what are you going to do when we sleep?" She asked warily. She didn't want him getting any ideas, regardless of the fact that she found him attractive. "Well... when I have downtime... I tend to just meditate on my thoughts. It's actually rather peaceful, but that doesn't mean that I don't miss sleep." He admitted.

Ruby perked up as she had a thought. "So, that one bag was filled with Lien, what are the other two filled with?" She asked. He turned to the two larger bags near the door. "Well, the one on the left is filled with confiscated items, from criminals mostly. Knives, defused explosives, things like that. The other bag has my personal things in it." He said. Blake had a look of wonder on her face. "Weapons, really?" She asked. Yuri gave a nod. "Back where I lived... crime... wasn't incredibly common... but it was still enough of a problem that the people were concerned. But the police weren't really interested in assisting them." He said angrily.

"Where did you live where crime was that bad?" Weiss asked. He smiled and turned away from them. "Well, until today... the Menagerie was my home." He said. Blake's eyes widened in surprise. _A HUMAN in the Menagerie... they aren't exactly welcome there._ She shook the thought from her mind as a soft rumble echoed through the room. Yang giggled. "Oops, looks like I forgot to eat anything today." She said. Yuri laughed at her. "Don't feel to bad, I haven't eaten anything either." He said. She grinned at him. "Wanna get dinner?" She asked, coyness.

He pretended to consider it, but he had already agreed in his mind. "Well... I guess I could go with you." He said with a grin. He looked to the other girls. "Any of you going too?" He asked. The other girls, who had eaten normally as they were supposed to, shook their heads. He turned back to Yang. "Guess it's just you and me then" He said. She laughed. "Y'know, I think we'll manage." She said.

With that, Yuri filled the small bag with the Lien on the dresser, tied it up, and hooked it to his pants. "We're off." He said. Weiss turned away, and Ruby and Blake gave quick gestures of farewell. They closed the door behind them and could be heard talking and laughing with one another the whole time they walked down the hall. Blake smiled, she wasn't sure what to think of their new teammate... but at least he seemed likable.

 **4 Hours Later**

Blake looked around the dark room. Yang had returned an hour ago, and had repeatedly talked about how much fun she had with Yuri during dinner. Eventually fatigue overtook her, and she retired to bed. But Yuri hadn't returned yet, and Blake didn't feel like Yang would take too kindly to being awoken just so she could ask that question. Her eyes darted around the room, everyone seemed to be asleep. Then she noticed Yuri's bags beside the door. _One of them is filled with weapons from criminals, and the other has his personal things... right?_ She slowly hopped down off of her bunk. She kept her eyes firmly on the door as she walked over to the bags.

She knelt down and felt the larger bag, it's contents were solid, mostly metal. She could feel blades inside, so she assumed that what Yuri had said was true. She turned her attention to the other bag, no longer worried about the door, as she would hear anyone coming down the hall long before they got there. She pulled apart the drawstring and opened the bag's top. She was rather surprised at the contents. She pulled them out, one by one. _A light blue scarf, a mahogany eyeglass case, a old style golden fountain pen, a bronze pocket watch._

She looked down into the bag as she set the watch down, and her blood ran cold. She lifted the item out of the bag slowly, its white surface interspersed with red, vein-like markings. The shape was undeniable. _It's... a... Grimm Mask... like the one Adam wore._ A small slip of paper dropped from behind the back of the mask. Blake set the mask down and picked up the paper. It was a color photograph. _Five people, one of whom is obviously Yuri, one other guy, and three girls. They're all older than Yuri by one or two years, and the guy and two of the girls were undoubtedly Faunus. They all seem happy around each other._ Then she noticed it. _They each have a Grimm Mask... the one Yuri has in the picture is the same one in from the bag._ The masks all looked exactly like Yuri's, other than the color of the veins, which were all unique.

 _Was Yuri... part of the White Fang?_ "You know..." A voice from across the room began. Blake's blood ran cold once again, and she shot up and spun around on the spot. _Yuri._ "Those things... are really precious to me, you know." He said sadly. He walked over to her calmly. She was horrified of what he was going to do to her. As he reached her, she was once again reminded of how much he towered over her. His face was stern... but... also somewhat solemn. He slowly grabbed the mask off of the ground, and the photo from Blake's hand. He slipped the photo inside a small pocket in the mask.

He was silent as he returned the belongings to the small bag. Blake, who was still horrified from his sudden entrance, backed away slowly. "How did you-" "Sneak up on you? Darling I lived in the Menagerie and worked as a vigilante. It's no surprise that my job required me to sneak around some Faunus more than once." He said with a quiet laugh. She sighed as he didn't exactly seem angry. He walked closer to her, then placed his hand on her head. "Hey, if you want to know anything about me... I'm not going to hide anything from you... so just ask." He said, stroking the top of her head, right between her bow. She craned her neck into his fingers, enjoying the sensation.

After a moment he pulled away, and Blake felt a blush crop up on her cheeks. "Sorry, about that... you know... um, going, um... through your things." She said, finding it hard to form words. He waved her worry away. "Not at all... like I said, if you're curious just ask." He said, giving her a soft smile. She could see how genuine he was being with her. She sniffed the air, and felt her mind go numb. _That smell... those are his pheromones. They smell so sweet, he really is being honest._ She shook herself out of her stupor, and walked back to her bunk.

"Goodnight Yuri... good luck tomorrow, Yang's no pushover." She said, before laying her head down on her pillow. _Honestly... something tells me he'll be fine._ "I hope it's fun to fight her, I'm actually really looking forward to it." Yuri said, kneeling down in the middle of the room, with his hands on his knees. _Now... time to prepare my aura._

Ozpin felt her eyes on the back of his neck, and he turned his chair to face her. "Some bothering you, Glynda?" He asked. She gave a small huff. "Where... exactly did you find that boy?" She asked worriedly. "Well, I had the good fortune of crossing paths with him in the Menagerie." He said. "The Menagerie!? What on earth were you doing there?" She asked. "Honestly... I was searching for something." He said. She sighed. "'Something' wouldn't happen to be the young man, would it?" She asked. Ozpin shrugged dismissively. "Perhaps, but I can't say for certain yet."

 **Well, that's chapter 2... yep, that's it. Chapter 3 will be out... eventually, haven't decided which fic I want to work on next yet. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed.**

 **Cheers.**


	3. Chapter 3 - Cat and Wolf

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 3**

"Yuri... are you still awake?" Blake asked. She was looking down at the young man, who had amazingly remained in the same kneeling position for the past four hours. She had managed to get some sleep between their last conversation, but... she just couldn't take her mind off of him... she had too many questions. He shifted almost immediately, opening his eyes and looking up at her. "I am." He answered. He shifted off of his knees and stood up to look at her. "Is there something you need?" He asked quietly.

She nodded. "I... want to ask about you." She said, jumping silently off of her bunk. He smiled walking just past her to the window, opening it fully. "Okay..." He said. Before she could say anything, he turned, lifted her into his arms, and leapt silently out the window. She almost screamed, the dorm was so high off of the ground, and he just _jumped out the window!?_ He spoke as they plummeted towards the forest below. "Did you know... young wolves will protect the young of larger cats when they're in danger, so that they can hunt together with them when they get older?" He asked. They passed through the canopy and Yuri landed his heel into the trunk of a tree. Amazingly, the tree bowed under their combined weight, and took the majority of the impact. Even still, for her... the ground couldn't have come sooner.

Yuri put Blake down, and it took her a minute to stop shaking. "You're absolutely insane." She said. He turned to her and cocked his head. "I don't think that anything I've ever done is sane. Now come on, we're almost there." He said. She gave a rather frustrated sigh, then followed him when he started walking. "Where exactly are we going?" She asked. He turned to face her, with a rather sad look plaguing his face. "Those four people in the photo? We're... going to their graves." He said, then turned away. _Wait... they're dead? I thought... maybe they had went separate ways... that's why those things are "precious" to him._ She felt even worse about going through his things now.

They walked in silence for about ten minutes. He had closed his eyes when he told Blake of his friends, and he had kept them closed as he made his way deftly along the unseen path. She darted her eyes around, before realizing something: They weren't alone, a pack of Beowolves had begun following them at a distance. "Um... Yuri there's-" "I know." He said, without opening his eyes. He shifted his nose into the air, giving a few distinct soft sniffs. "Sometimes, the prey... will forget who the hunter is." He said, then he smiled. "I don't have the greatest vision in the dark, since I'm human. But, my hearing and sense of smell is better than that of the Faunus. Tell me, since you can see them... there are three of them... right?" He asked.

Blake made a quick check of the area around them. He was right, three Beowolves had begun closing in on them slowly. Yuri grinned. "It's very rare... that I fight Grimm, not to say that I've never done it..." He said. He pulled off the black undershirt he had been wearing, and it didn't take Blake too long to realize what he was talking about... he had a huge scar running down his back. "Believe it or not... this scar... came from the day where I buried my friends." He said. He turned back to her. "Do you know the difference... between a Hunter, and a Huntsman?" He asked.

By now, the Beowolves had slowly crept closer, and were now withing striking distance of Yuri. Blake had also realized that neither of them had their weapons. Then, just like that, the first attack came, as one of the beasts lunged towards him. Blake attempted to shout, but Yuri, to her surprise had already moved. He shifted his body just a bit to the left, then when the Beowolf passed him, he grabbed its arm and spun it face first into the tree next to them. His hands still clenched around its arm, he pressed his foot against its side. He pulled, and the flesh and bone between its shoulder and torso gave way with a rather nasty rip. The Beowolf howled in pain, and began flailing itself wildly.

It didn't last long, as Yuri turned its hand to face it, then rammed the claws through its skull. "A Hunter... eliminates those that attacks them, while a Huntsman... tracks and eliminates anything they conceive as a threat." He said. The other two moved in, albeit slowly. Yuri turned, and gave a rather authentic snarl, making the beasts pause. Then she saw it. _He didn't bring his mask with him... did he? No, he got straight up and grabbed me. So why is there one on his face?_ She looked him over, then noticed that he's changed quite a bit after he snarled.

A black substance had coated his arms, chest, and back almost like a fur. He snarled again. "You see, there are two kinds of animals in this world, those who get slaughtered, and those who slaughter, I'm the latter, but rather than slaughter, I use my gifts to protect... because I've seen suffering... and I don't think anyone should have to go through that." He said. _He doesn't even seem angry... more sad than anything._ The other two lunged at him, and he caught them in his claws, crushing their heads with seemingly no struggle. He dropped them to the ground, then turned back to Blake.

The substance on his body dissipated, and not long after, the masked wisped away as well. Yuri's eyes, carrying a wild, unbridled look, shifted to Blake. "You're alright, yes?" He asked. She nodded. "What... was that?" She asked. He smiled, seemingly calm once again. "What you just saw... is Grimm Visage." "That... was my gift, passed down to me from my parents." He said. "So... it was a Semblance?" She asked. He shook his head vigorously. "No... a Semblance... would never be so evil." He said. "Evil?" She asked. "My body... is a vessel for evil. As a vigilante... I've been taking on the burdens of those around me... protecting them from being used by others... it's taxing, and one day it went to far... I snapped, and became that... thing... that evil." He said.

"You... snapped? What caused that?" She asked. He turned sharply. "It's not important, it's over now." He said. "Let's go, we're almost there." She followed wordlessly. _I'm almost certain that he knows I'm a Faunus... and he hasn't bothered me about it. So I won't him on this... since it seems to dredge up something he doesn't want to think about, and that's fine... if he wants to open up to me, he will._ The walked silently again, then a small clearing came into view in the distance. Along with four distinct mounds of stone. They passed through the treeline after a moment. He turned to her. "Be careful, they like to come around here when I'm out. They nest here because of the aura my friends give off." He said.

Blake looked around, and, upon seeing that there were no creatures, let alone Grimm for at least a few miles, she relaxed. "Why would the Grimm care about the aura?" She asked. He smiled. "In the Menagerie, there was an old library that I frequented on rather... rainy nights..." He started. "I... must have read almost every selection that was available... but I really loved to study the Grimm, and there was one book that truly intrigued me." He said. He walked over to the furthest mound and she to the one closest to her. She took a moment to inspect the graves. They were rather large, and despite her previous assumption, they weren't mounds at all, they were hollow stones.

She pressed her hand to the surface, it was cool... _wait... what is this exactly? It's almost pulsating under my palm... like it still has a heartbeat._ "You feel it... right?" Yuri asked. She nodded, still entranced by the soft beating from the stone. "Why... um are... they all like this?" She asked. He nodded, then pointed to the stone. "That's Kaia's grave." He said. "She... was my best friend." He said. "She was the daughter of my father's business partner, and despite being older than me by a few years, she would always stick by my side. We were never apart." He said with a smile.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened to them?" She asked. "Something went wrong... that's all." He said. _So that's a no go too, eh? That's fine, I don't know him that well, so I don't expect him to talk about things like this yet._ "What about the White Fang?" She asked. He smiled weakly, making his way to each of the stones as he spoke. "Honestly... the principle behind their actions is wonderful, they want equality... but the actions behind their principle... violence... to achieve change... will only be met with violence to keep the norm." He said. He turned to her. "I will always... stand for what's right... to me... right now that's changing everyone." She looked at him confusedly.

 _Change... everyone?_ "How do you plan on doing that?" She asked. He smiled, then stepped towards her. "When you look at me... what do you see?" He asked. She was rather taken aback at the question. _What... do I see?_ "Well... I see a Human." She said. "That... is the problem." He said, stepping closer to her again. "If you and I... can't begin to see one another as people, rather than the respective species that we belong to, nothing will change." He said. He smiled at her and turned back to face the graves. "When I looked at them, I never saw Humans or Faunus, I just saw my friends... people." He said happily. "We never saw each other based on characteristics that we did or didn't have... we were just us." He said.

"Come on, we should head back." He said. _Yeah he's right... I'm actually starting to feel weak... I guess only three hours of sleep does that to you._ She nodded and they began the trek back to the school. As they walked quietly, Blake began recounting the events of the past hour. _So I found out that his friends are dead, but not how they died. I saw that "thing" that he can do, but not what it is. I learned that he is... I suppose a friend to Faunus. Also... something happened to him, that's haunting him... but I can't even begin to consider what happened. Wow, if I'm being honest... I didn't really learn much... but he was willing to explain some things, so that's a start._

Her mind began to feel cloudy... and she realized that they were still quite a ways away from the school. "Hey can we-" She didn't finish, but rather gave a start when she felt Yuri lift her into his arms. "You... you don't need to carry me." She said, looking up at him. He smiled and nodded. "You're right, I don't... but I want to. So sleep, I'll wake you when we get there." He said. She would have argued, but she really hadn't gotten any sleep... so she did as he said, drifting off to the slow deliberate pace that he had taken.

"Hey, we're back." Yuri said, propping Blake on his forearm. She stirred after a moment, then shot upright. "How long did it take?" She asked. "Well... about 2 hours to scale the cliffs to the school... and I stood here for another hour, since I didn't think that you had enough time to rest." He said with a smile. _Is he this nice to everybody?_ She looked around them, they were in the hall, right outside the door. She looked back at him, then smiled. "Thanks... for... you know." She said. He nodded. "If either of us couldn't extend some semblance of kindness towards one another, how could we hope for Humans and Faunus to become equals?" He said. Her blood ran cold. _Wait does that mean he knows that I'm a Faunus... no... he hasn't said anything about it... calm down Blake, everything's okay._

They silently looked at one another for a moment, then she smiled. "You know... it's only been a day since we met... but I'm starting to feel a lot more comfortable around you." She said. _Despite the fact that I can't tell if you see through me or not._ He smiled in return. "Hopefully I don't slow your team down. As I said, I've minimized my run-ins with the Grimm... so I'm not an expert in fighting more than a few at a time." He said. She shrugged. _I think he'll be okay._ Yuri turned and opened the door. "There you two are!" Came Yang's voice in the darkness. "I was wondering when you two would get back." She said. Blake could see that she was taping up her hands. Yang turned to Yuri. "You ready for our match?" She asked.

 _Am I ready? Fuck I hope so._


	4. Chapter 4 - All Things Twist & Break

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 4**

Ruby could barely contain herself as they made their way down the hall. She constantly mused about the potential outcomes of the upcoming bout between her sister and their new teammate. So much so that the majority of the others next door heard them, and decided to join them when Ruby touted the fight as the greatest in fifty years. Although Yuri didn't share her enthusiasm, he was still rather excited for his own reason. His eyes scanned the new group of people that had attached themselves to the five.

Two males, one taller, and blonde, with a softer, more boyish face. In truth Yuri saw him as rather timid. He also seemed to be incredibly enamored with Weiss, although she seemed to have no interest in him. Yuri found it quite humorous, but still rather sad. The other male was shorter, about the same height as Yang, and his dark hair was highlighted by a small violet streak on the side. His face was peaceful, but hardened. There were two girls as well. One was taller, with crimson hair that was tied in a rather long ponytail that drifted along her shoulders as she walked. Yuri found her quite beautiful but she in turn seemed enamored with the blonde guy, which he found even more humorous. The final addition to the group was a shorter girl, with rather striking orange hair, she seemed incredibly upbeat, bordering Yuri on annoyance.

Yuri tugged the edges of his cloak against his throat, his hood tugging on his hair. The darker haired young man sauntered up to his side. "I'm Lie, Lie Ren, nice to meet you." Although Yuri didn't show his face, he turned slightly towards him and extended his hand. Lie took it, giving it a tentative shake. He gestured to the other members of his team. "The redhead is Phyrra Nikos, she's undoubtedly the strongest in our group, she's friendly, just don't pick on Jaune. He's the blonde, and our leader, by the way." He said, motioning next to Phyrra. He turned slightly to his left, gesturing towards the girl with orange hair. "This is Nora, she's been my friend for quite a long time." He smiled. "She can be a bit... odd sometimes, but she's by no means bad." He said.

Yuri nodded, then turned realizing that they had reached their destination. It was a large, open room with padded walls, although the floor was solid wood. The group stepped across the floor silently, Yang taking a more centered position near the door, and Yuri taking a similar one near the far wall. Their eyes were locked on one another, but there was no animosity, it was more akin to excitement. "Are you two going to use Aura meters to determine who the winner is?" Weiss asked. Yuri looked at Yang, who shrugged in an uncaring manner.

He smiled. "Well... as fun as beating each other bloody sounds, let's stick an Aura meter in there to keep things from getting too deadly." He said with a laugh. She grinned. "What's wrong? You afraid of getting your ass kicked by a girl?" She said, obviously not seriously, simply bantering. He pulled out his Scroll, set it to measure his Aura, then linked it with Weiss's. Yang did the same, and they both attached the scroll to their backs. Yuri undid the drawstring on his cloak. The brown cloth slid down his arm and he cast it to the side, where it landed softly against the wall. He tossed his small bags along with it, taking extra care to land the bag with his personal effects on his cloak.

He turned to Yang, who had already taken an offensive stance. "Semblances and Aura okay?" He asked. She nodded. "I'm not too great with Aura, but I have a pretty awesome Semblance." She said. He nodded, grinning. "Is that so? Too bad you won't have much of a chance to use them." He said, getting into a similar stance. "You ready?" He asked. She nodded. "Go!"

They disappeared, their movements becoming shadows dancing on the wall. The sound of their fists and palms colliding echoed across the room despite it being padded. The room dissolved into a fit of the two of them giggling as they dodged and blocked each others strikes. "Are they... flirting?" Weiss asked. Lie scanned their movements for a moment. "Actually... that seems to be the case." He mused. Weiss looked at their meters, neither of them had really lost or gained any actual ground. They both sat comfortably at 95% Aura, although she noticed that Yuri had incredible reserves of it. _No wonder he doesn't sleep. Combat oriented Aura is volatile, and weighs on the mind. He's got so much of it, he might actually hear voices._

Yuri and Yang came to a halt in the center of the room. Yuri's hands firmly around her shoulders. He lifted her into the air, forcing her back about 6 feet. "Alright!" He shouted, tensing his arms. "I think I know your patterns, so lets get serious." He said. Yang pounded her fists into one another. Her hair igniting with flame. Yuri clenched his fists, drenching them in his black Aura. Weiss watched in wonder as his Aura dropped almost instantly from 95% to 60%. "Wow... that technique he's using must be really painful to lower his stamina so much." She watched as Yuri's eyes grew dull.

He grinned, although his eyes were completely unfocused. His attention was still undeniably on Yang. "Sorry darling... but being honest, you lost this fight the moment you allowed me my Semblance and Aura." He grinned, snapped his fingers, then disappeared. This time it wasn't from high speeds, he was just gone. Blake sniffed the air around them. _It's camouflage, he's not invisible, just bending the light around him._ Her mind flashed to the previous night. _I suppose he did consider himself a Hunter. He said that what I saw last night was not a Semblance, so maybe it had something to do with his Aura?_

 _ **Wham!**_ The sound of Yuri's right fist colliding with the side of Yang's face rang brutally in the ears of the rest of the group. Despite the sound, Yang seemed completely fine, if not a bit shaken. Yuri didn't let up, spinning on his heel and using the momentum to slam the back of his right hand into the bridge of her nose. The force knocked her back, and Yuri sprung forward, slamming his elbow into her lower chest. _I've got about four seconds left. Better put her down now._ He reached up and slid his fingers through her scarf. _Why the fuck would she wear this... it's a pretty obvious choke hold for someone who's trying to kill her. Good thing I'm not._ He lifted her up, arcing her over his head, then dropped her once the tension in his arm built up.

Yang clattered to the floor, shoulder first. Yuri winced at the sound of her shoulder colliding with the floor, whose wood gave no leeway despite the force present. _Oh... maybe that was a bit too much, I... think it's dislocated._ His camouflage dissipated, revealing the young man, now drenched in sweat. His panting as loud as her soft groaning, he walked over to the girl. She had slumped over onto her back, her groaning softened further. Yuri offered her his hand, which she used to stand up, smiling. The others ran to them, but Yuri waved them away.

He turned his attention to her shoulder. "Hey, sorry about that... I got a little wild." He said, embarrassed. She shrugged, then yelped in pain. "Don't aggravate it!" He said, clamping his hand down on her shoulder. She winced. "Sorry, it doesn't hurt until I move it." She said. He looked at her, then turned to the others. His face was emotionless as he spoke. "Out." Was all he said. The group stared in confusion. "I don't think that I can make it any more clear." He said. His eyes focused on the door, and he tilted his head towards it. The group got the message, and they quickly shuffled through the door, closing it behind them.

He turned back to Yang, his face covered in a slight blush. He sucked in a breath, then motioned her to him. She stepped up to him. He smiled slightly. "So." He said. She looked up at him. "So... what?" She asked. He sighed. "Lift your arm up." He said. She did, then yelped as she stretched to her fullest. "Okay, that's what I thought. Listen, when you hit the floor, your shoulder blades shifted. Now, the body is okay with things inside of it moving around, as long as it has something to put in its place." He sighed again. "This time... it happened to put a nerve in that place." He said. "If we don't take care of it soon, the nerve could be permanently damaged." He turned away. "Can you fix it?" She asked. Her voice seemed steady, as though she didn't care about the prospect of permanent damage.

Yuri nodded. "It's something that I've run across a few times in my line of work. I know how to take care of it...but..." He started. "But WHAT?" Yang demanded. He sighed for a third time. "I need you to take your shirt and bra off." He said. She looked at him for a moment. _He could have just asked._ She grinned, sliding her hands down her sides. "You gave me a show yesterday, should I give you one now?" She asked. The bright red coloration on Yuri's pale cheeks was all she needed to break into a fit of laughter.

He coughed quietly to calm her down. She did so, wiping her eyes with her left hand. He smiled. "Although... your offer is rather enticing... I think this." He said pointing to her shoulder. "Is slightly more important." He said. She lowered her head, then sighed. "Alright, alright." She laughed. He looked at her for a moment. "Do you... think you might need help getting your things off?" He asked. _Well... I might... my shoulder really hurts, and I think doing too much stretching is out of the question._ She giggle. "Oh... so I get to have you strip me? But we've only just met!" She said feigning nervousness.

Yuri slid his own hands down her sides. _She's being rather flirty... just like she was at dinner. Although I'm not sure if she's just compensating for the pain._ He pulled her shirt up revealing her navel and the edges of her black bra. "Wow, black?" He asked. She pouted, although she knew he couldn't see her face. "Arms out in front." Came the command from him. She did as he said. He ducked below her arms and pulled her shirt off. _It hurt a bit... but it wasn't too bad, definitely better than if I had done it myself._

He stood up after setting her shirt to the side. He pulled her against him. Her breasts pressed firmly against his chest. His eyes darted across her chest, and she noticed, which brought a rather happy grin to her face. "If getting injured makes you look at me like that... I should get hurt more often." She said with a giggle. Yuri's eyes darkened. _Okay, there's no doubt that she's flirting. But... should I go on the offensive with this, or wait for her?_ He wrapped his arms around her back, catching the bra's hooks in his hands. He undid the clasps, then slid the silk down her chest.

"Easy, right?" He asked with a smile. She felt the confidence that was running through her die almost instantly, as though his words made it melt away. She realized almost instantly. _I'm half... naked, and he's right next to me..._ "Um... what's next?" She asked. He moved away, much to her shock, his eyes fully on her breasts. "Spin around." He said. She did, and he grabbed her when her back was facing him. She yelped a bit, as his grip wasn't soft anymore. He pressed his hand against the side of her ribs, pressing into them softly. She yelped loudly again. "Okay, I'm going to do it now." Yuri said.

Yang nodded, and Yuri grasped her shoulder. Moments later, he wrenched the shoulder upwards. Yang howled in pain and her elbow shot backwards. She felt it slam into Yuri's nose. _Oh shit._ She spun around, then realized she wasn't in pain anymore, it took a while, likely because they bantered back and forth too much, but he had indeed fixed it. Her mouth was wide open as she tried wordlessly to apologize.

His nose was bleeding, badly. But he didn't seem to care much. He pressed his thumb and index to the bridge and squeezed. The sound of his nose resetting made her flinch. He funneled some Aura into his fingertips, and his nose healed up almost instantly. He grinned at her, giving a thumbs up. "Your shoulder good?" He asked. She nodded. "Good, so... I... feel pretty bad for doing that to you..." He said, tossing Yang her bra and shirt. She quickly put them back on, happy that her shoulder was cooperating. "So... what do you want as an apology?" He finished. _Wait... wasn't our fight like a mutual agreement... and I'm the one who hurt him on accident._ She stared at him for a moment, realizing that he was genuinely sorry, then leaned in to his ear.

Yuri listened as she whispered to him. His eyes widened as she gave her request. He backed up slightly, studying her. "Am I not allowed to ask for that?" She questioned. He shook his head. "If... you really want that... then I don't have a problem with it. But let's wait a little bit, if you don't mind." He said. She looked at him a little angrily. "How long do you intend to make me wait?" She asked. He pressed his hand to the side of his face in consideration. He felt a bit nervous as he pondered. "It's Tuesday... how about... Thursday?" He asked with a smile. She looked at him, grinning widely and throwing her fist into the air in victory. "Yes!"

Yuri thought for a moment. _Yeah, if it's Tuesday..._ "Wait! It's Tuesday!?" He sprinted to the far wall, catching his cloak in his fingers. "I'll see you and the others later... there's something really important that I forgot about today." He sprinted to her, wrapping his arm around her neck. He grabbed her chin and pressed his lips to her cheek. "Later." He said, before launching himself out the door. Yang grinned while she touched her cheek. _I should get back to the dorm._

"So what exactly happened?" Ruby asked. "Are you okay?" She questioned again, without letting Yang finish. "I'm fine, Sis!" She answered. _She wasn't lying, although she was a little stunned that Yuri agreed with her request so readily._ "Where is Yuri, by the way?" Blake asked, not looking up from her book. "Well... I'm not exactly sure... he said he had something he forgot to do, then he ran off." She said. Ruby thought for a second, then pointed to the door in a rather animated fashion. "Weiss... follow him!" Ruby commanded. Weiss processed Ruby's demand for a moment. "Hey! Why am I the one who has to follow him?" She asked.

Blake mused over Ruby's decision for a moment, although she was still seemingly uninterested in anything but her reading. "Oh I get it... you want to see what he does as a vigilante, and you're telling Weiss to go because she has his bio-metrics logged into her Scroll." She said. Ruby gave a quick thumbs up, then pointed to the door again. "Get a move on, before he gets too far!" She said. Weiss gave a frustrated sigh, then heaved herself off of the bed. She fumbled with her Scroll for a moment before pulling up Yuri's location. "Alright... I'm off." She said, before walking out the door. _If I'm reading this right... and I am... Yuri's on the edge of the school grounds... I suppose he's heading to the Menagerie. If I use the airship, I'll get there first._

 _ **Wait... why did I agree to this?!**_


	5. Chapter 5 - Forgetful

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 5**

Weiss's mind wandered as she toyed with the earpiece Ruby had thrown at her while she was leaving the dorm. She had heavily considered running back to knock some sense into the younger girl, but, as much as she wanted to deny it, she was simply more interested in seeing exactly what their new teammate was up to. She checked her Scroll again, running her finger along the screen to bring it center on Yuri's position. _Jeez, he's on foot and he's nearly there, the airship is only two thirds of the way. What? Did he mainline coffee or something?_

She gave a grunt of discontent, then leant against the railing, eyes focused on the ground below. _I remember him saying that he lived in Menagerie, I wonder what spurred that life choice... well that's assuming he_ _ **wanted**_ _to live here. But he's Human, right? This is a mainly Faunus area, despite them not being confined to it any longer._ She looked down to her Scroll one last time. _He's made it into the urban areas, the airship should land in a moment, so I need to figure out where he's going._

The airship came to a stop moments later, and Weiss stepped onto the landing platform. _I'm in luck, he's just a few blocks down the street. Now... let's see._ She scanned the area for a moment before finding what she was looking for, a ladder. She jumped up the rungs quickly, hopping over the edge onto what seemed to be the roof of a rather derelict building. She checked the Scroll again. _Five hundred feet. I need to get over there._ She sprinted across the rooftops, hopping quickly from one to another. She caught a glance of Yuri's silhouette on the street, then huddled against a low hanging front on the roof.

She peeked over then wondered why she hadn't noticed the main attraction on the corner of the street. A house, ablaze across the street. The fire was vast, and intense enough that its heat blasted against her face. She squinted, trying to see more clearly past the heavy glare brought on by the flames. After a moment, her eyes adjusted, but just barely. _"What do you see?!"_ Came Ruby's voice from the earpiece. Weiss considered asking where exactly she had gotten the device, but a wave of heat from the burning husk of wood and stone made her change her mind.

She turned her Scroll's camera on, then linked it to Ruby's. "Here, you three can watch if you'd like, although I'm not sure what we're about to see." She said. She shifted the camera over the wall. She could see Yuri facing a group of three people while panting, which she didn't find surprising considering he ran the entire distance. She could hear him screaming over the flames. "Huh... so... it seems the warning wasn't enough!" He shouted angrily. One of the men laughed. "You think we're scared of some wannabe hero?" He asked. He lunged at Yuri, revealing a sword and angling it towards his neck.

Yuri stepped to the side, looking rather distant, as though he wasn't there mentally. His hand wrapped around the assailant's wrist. He wrenched the sword from his hand, spun it around, then lodged it in the man's chest. The man spat up an incredible amount of blood, then dropped to the ground. Another one charged, screaming in anger, swinging a rather nasty looking club. Once again, Yuri did a slight sidestep, grabbing the man's wrist, then twisting it. The man dropped to his knees, face contorted in an. Again, with a rather distant gaze, he pressed his foot to the man's chest, then gave a hard tug on his arm. Weiss felt her stomach lurch as the his flesh tore away, the arm, skin, bone, muscle, all of it split as the arm was removed.

Yuri swung the bloody stump and slammed it against his opponents face. He dropped to the ground, shivering as the blood slowly drained from his right side. _**CRACK!**_ The gunshot rang out in the streets, overpowering seemingly every other noise in the world. Yuri's shoulder jerked back as the bullet slammed into him. The third one had pulled a revolver and shot Yuri in the back through the left shoulder. The man let loose another two shots, one piercing Yuri's stomach, and the other his lower chest. Yuri jumped forward, his still distant gaze twisted in pain he didn't even truly seem to feel. His hand wrapped around the barrel of the revolver, and he tore it from the man's hand.

He flipped the pistol around and pressed it to the mans skull, his fingers wrapped around the trigger. He cocked the hammer back, then squeezed. The bullet slammed the man's head to the ground, where he stayed, now completely lifeless. Yuri circled around the building, coming upon a group of people near what seemed to be the front of the house. There were two adults, and two kids, likely a family. Yuri had seemed to regain himself, and managed to speak despite his fresh bullet wounds. He wheezed as he did. "Everyone get out?" He asked.

One of the adults, who were now clear to Weiss as Faunus, turned and scanned the children. Her eyes widened in horror. She spun around angrily to the male. "Where's our baby!?" She screamed. His eyes did the same. "I thought you were going to get her!" He said. "Shut the FUCK up!" Yuri screamed. They spun around to him in fear. "What room?" He asked. "Umm... third floor, first room on the left." The male said. Yuri nodded, untying his cloak and tearing his shirt off, then turned and kicked the front door of the blazing house in.

Weiss looked down at her Scroll, studying Yuri's Aura levels. His Aura levels had dropped significantly, he had recovered his Aura from the fight with Yang, and his reserves had jumped back up to 95%. Now... likely because of the bullet wounds, his Aura had dropped to 27%. Weiss was rather worried, even more so when she was the number drop to 20%. _I... hope he's going to be okay._ The number drained further, this time... to 3%. _Yuri... you need to get out of there._ 0%. _**Crash!**_ One of the walls gave way, and Yuri, clutching a small bundle, dove out the new hole.

His body slammed against the ground, but the bundle didn't move. He struggled for a moment, then stood up. He turned to the parents, and handed the baby to the mother. The mother unwrapped the child, a tiny young girl. The girl shuffled in her mother's arms, sitting up in her hold. Her eyes focused on Yuri, she broke into a huge, toothless grin. He grinned back, then broke into a violent cough. He faced the mother. "Take care of her." He said. He knelt down slightly, tapping the baby's nose with his finger. "Grow up, kid... just not too fast. Do something... worthwhile with your life." He laughed. He picked up his shirt and cloak.

He began to walk away, then spun around on his heel. "I'll speak with the Council, you know, about getting your home restored." He said. "Oh, we... can't afford to have it restored." The mother said. Yuri scoffed. "I'm paying for it." He said. He rummaged around in his bag and removed what looked to Weiss like a mask. He pressed it to his face. The woman gave a gasp of surprise. "You're with old ORB, aren't you?" She asked. "I didn't know that ORB had Humans." She mused. "I'm a person, not just a Human." He said. She smiled, then nodded. "Thank you... ORB." She said. He turned away, then, once again, turned back.

He pointed at the girl. "What's her name?" He asked. "Oh! It's Luna." She said. He pressed his hand to the top of the girl's head. "Well, little Luna, you're a Faunus, and I'm a Human... but that doesn't matter, we're both people. Never let the outside dictate the inside. Love everyone, even if they don't love you back." He said, before turning away. "Thank you, once again." She said. He threw his hand in the air. "Don't mention it, people should help one another. Call the police, and have them move the corpses in your backyard." He laughed.

He made his way down the street, walking for about an hour, with Weiss following behind him, before turning into a bar. _Why is he...? I should get down there._ She jumped off of the roof, landing rather gracefully next to the door. She looked inside. Yuri was sat at a bar, hands clasped together. He turned his head slightly. "How long do you plan on following me Weiss?" He asked. She felt her heart leap into her throat. "Come here." He said.

She did, opening the door to the bar and taking a seat on a bar stool next to Yuri. He turned to her. While she turned off the earpiece, he raised two fingers, and the bartender turned to him. "Jeez Yuri, you seem to come in here in a worse condition every time." He laughed. Yuri laughed as well. "Yeah... you know my line of work doesn't always leave me unscathed." He said. "Very true... the usual?" He asked. Yuri nodded, and the man poured a rather thick whiskey into a small glass. He slid the glass across the bar surface. Yuri caught it as it passed in front of him.

"You... drink?" Weiss asked. He nodded. "Not often... but sometimes... it's just better to forget." He smiled, then downed the glass. He slid it back across the counter. "Another?" The man asked. "Please." He said. The man filled it again, then another glass, then a third, then a fourth. He placed them all in front of Yuri, who quickly went to work on each of them. After what seemed like no time flat, the glasses were empty. Yuri stacked the glass on top of one another. "That was top-shelf stuff, ow much do I owe you?" He asked. The man shrugged. "I'm not gonna charge someone who's always been there for me." He said.

Yuri frowned, then pulled a black Lien chip out of his bag and tossed it on the bar. "Hey... I thought I said-" "That was there when we arrived." Yuri cut in. The man looked down at the chip, then up at Yuri. "You're one stubborn fuck... seems like I keep forgetting that about you. Get outta here, before I run you out myself." He said. Yuri grabbed Weiss by the hand and lead her out the door.

"Where to next... oh that's right!" Yuri said rather happily. He tugged her down the street with him for another hour before turning into another store. A loud chime rang as he opened the door, and they stepped inside. An elderly tiger Faunus woman, who looked to be about ninety, was sitting behind a small counter. The rest of the store was covered in various items of clothing. The woman held her gaze on Weiss, then shifted her eyes to Yuri. "Oh... Kallen... it's been a while. How can I help you?" She asked quietly. Yuri gave a slight bow, then motioned towards a staircase in the back. "Your granddaughter upstairs?" He asked.

The woman turned to the staircase. "Kaliya! Yuri's here!" She shouted. _**Stomp! Bump, bump, bump, bump!**_ A young girl leapt down the stairs grinning. Her eyes locked on Yuri's and her gaze never faltered. "Got work for me?" She said. Yuri nodded, removing his cloak and his bags. Her eyes plastered to his wounds, she grimaced. "Those don't look to good... you gonna be okay?" She asked. He laughed. "I think you've seen me in worse states." He said. She shrugged. "True enough, so what have you got for me?" She asked. He handed her his cloak, then placed his bags on the counter. "I'd like you to fix up my cloak." He said.

She darted over to the counter and snatched the cloak up. "Ahhh, you ass! You ruined my handiwork again!" She quipped. He shrugged. "Well, if I didn't appreciate it, I wouldn't come back here, would I?" He said. She nodded. "Anything else?" She asked. He pointed to the bags. "Those are getting pretty old... I want three new ones." He said. "Larger, or the same?" She asked. "Just a bit larger, please." He said. She nodded, picking the items up and dashing upstairs.

Weiss looked to Yuri, who was starting to seem a bit more lethargic. His black shirt had been stained even darker due to his blood's consistent pouring into the fabric. "You sure you're going to be alright?" She asked. She didn't know him well, but then again she didn't know anyone in Team RWBY well until recently, and she was, truly, rather concerned. He seemed to consider her question for a moment, as though he were unsure of the actual truth. He turned to her, then gave a weak smile. "I... I'll be fine."

They sat there in silence for what seemed to be at least two hours, before Kaliya returned with Yuri's things, along with an addition. "I know you wear a mask with this cloak, but it only covers your eyes, so I added a small lower face cover that you can pull over your nose." She said. She tossed him three new bags, each now black rather than the dark brown they were previously. "These bags are made of Ursa leather, so try to take care of them." She said. He fished through one of the bags, pulling out a few Lien chips, tossing them to her. She looked down, then counted them out.

"This is too much... even with the Ursa leather, the total would only be forty thousand Lien." She said. "Shut up, I'm leaving." Yuri said. He grabbed Weiss' hand again the lead her out of the store. "Hey! You stubborn shit!" The girl shouted after them. "How much did you give them?" Weiss asked. "Umm... a couple hundred thousand I think." He said lazily. She looked at him for a moment. His face was pale, or, paler than before. "Hey... you don't so good... you should sit down." She said. "I... told you... I'm-" His legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the pavement.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 _"Yuri... Is he going to be alright? I'll get the Headmaster... and Professor Goodwitch. Those wounds look really bad._ Yuri's eyes opened, the dark, quiet space of the dorm his welcome. He felt his chest, the wounds giving a sharp bite pain in response. He stood up, then took off his cloak. He opened his bag of belongings then pulled out his mask. He dug a bit deeper, then found what he was searching for, a small silver ball. He moved over to the other bag and pulled out the revolver from earlier that day. He walked over to the window and placed his mask face down on the dresser. He placed the ball in the nose depression, then opened the window. He threw himself out of the window, and into the darkness below.

Ruby opened the door, then made a noise of surprise. "Yuri's gone!" She said. "What!" Came Yang and Weiss' response. Blake walked in calmly after they rushed into the room. The three girls scrambled as they searched for the missing young man. Blake walked over to the window, her eyes locked firmly on the mask. She noticed the ball in the nose, and picked it up. _Open window..._ She sniffed the small ball. _It has his scent._ She sniffed the air. _He went out the window... again._ "I'll be back in a bit. Stay here and contact me if he gets back before I do." She said. The girls nodded, and Blake sprinted out the dorm door. _I know where he is._

She stepped through the forest, Yuri's scent on her nose confirming her belief. As she walked closer she could see Yuri in the clearing with the grave stones. She could see him fumbling his fingers along the revolver. He looked down the sights, then pulled back the hammer. He pressed the barrel to the side of his head, then, pulled the trigger.

 _ **Click.**_

 __That was it... no gunshot... nothing. Blake could feel her hands shaking... despite not knowing why. Yuri turned around, focusing his eyes on her. "You're here." He said. The revolver slipped out of his grip. She stepped closer to him slowly, her eyes locked with his. "You... tried to kill yourself?" She asked. He smiled weakly, then turned away. "When I was with them... we only wanted one thing... for everyone to love each other, so that there could be peace." He said.

He turned to her. "I killed those men today, I don't know what happened, I just forgot everything... I drifted away from the morals we lived by... that scared me." He said. Tears began streaming down his cheeks, his body shuddering violently. "It made me remember how hard it's been to live without them... they were my family." He sobbed, dropping to his knees. Blake felt her heart throb with sadness from the sight of his tears. Her mind scrambled for an appropriate response. She knelt down beside him.

"You... told that girl... that she should love everyone, despite the way the world treated her, right?" She asked. He sucked in a breath, his face red from crying so heavily. He nodded, rubbing his eyes to clear the tears. "Don't you need to keep spreading that message... so that the world can eventually change, and the Humans and Faunus... can just be people?" She asked. "I appreciate the love you show the Faunus, and I agree with the message you're trying to propagate." She continued. "If... you need... someone to stand beside you and help you... so you don't have to feel lonely... I will." She finished.

He looked at her for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Wow... I can't believe that you're so willing to help someone you hardly know." He said. She shrugged. "Alright." He whispered. "You sold me... I guess it's just not my time to go yet." He said with a sigh. He turned to her, then grabbed her by her elbows, lifting her up as he stood. He stayed still for a moment, then cupped her chin in his hand. He tilted her face up to his, and, to her surprise, pressed his lips to hers.

He pulled away after as quickly as he had initiated. Smiling happily. "Thanks." He turned away, beginning to walk deeper into the forest. "You know... there's a warm lake back there." He said, pointing immediately behind the gravestones. "It's really amazing at killing stress, you should try it some time." He said, before disappearing behind the thick trees. Blake, still trying to process the event that had just occurred, pressed her fingers to her lips. _Did I... enjoy that?_ She smiled, then turned back towards Beacon.

 _ **It doesn't matter... at least he's okay.**_


	6. Chapter 6 - Of Righteous Blood

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 6**

Yuri's muscles yawned and bowed as he stretched them below the warm waters of the pond. He was cautious, doing his best to keep his now closed wounds from reopening. He had sneaked his way back into the dorm room, arduously scaling the huge wall to their window. He grabbed his bag, filtering through it to pull out some light medical supplies, and was out and back into the forest in less then three quarters of a minute.

He had used the cover of night to sterilize and clean his wounds, before ripping the bullets out of his flesh with a rather rusty pair of tweezers. His howls of pain attracted many Beowolf to his area, but they seemed disinterested in him, just the noise. He had sutured the wounds after he had cleaned them again, and for the next two days had spent the majority of the time in the waters of his secret pond. He had felt Blake's presence nearby a few times, likely watching him to make sure he was okay.

The sound of footsteps interrupted his peaceful soak. The gait was familiar, although he had only heard it once, and for a very short period. Despite turning his head to the sound, he kept his eyes closed, absorbing a bit more of the peace, despite the disturbance. "Hello, Ms. Goodwitch." He said curtly. She gave a cough of acknowledgment. "I have been asked to inform you that classes start in two weeks." She said. His eyes opened. He was just a bit annoyed now. "Wouldn't my Scroll have saved you the time?" He asked.

No answer. He turned around. She was gone, he could hear her in the distance, well out of earshot for her. He scowled. _Classes, eh? Oh well, I suppose that I have to go. Still, doesn't mean I can't relax for the next few days._ He stretched his legs out a little further, shimmying slightly lower, the water now up to his collar bone. Another interruption came forth, but this one made him smile. "Hey, Blake, back again?" He asked. She gasped, and nearly slipped on the muddy ground nearby. He pushed a pulse of Aura towards her, keeping her on balance. She took a few seconds to right herself. "Thanks." She said under her breath. She wasn't sure why, she knew he'd hear her anyway.

His smile made her heart pound. "You're welcome." He said cheerily. He turned to face her, and opened his eyes once more. "What's up?" He asked. She averted her eyes from his, but could still feel her face heat up. "I was... just making sure you're doing alright." She said. She saw him beginning to climb out of the water, and she turned away. He ran a small towel over himself, then pulled his underwear and pants back on. "Decent." He said, and she turned back to him.

She hadn't seen him in any sort of sexual way, at least, not until he had sprang that kiss on her so unexpectedly. Her mind flashed back to that night, and she could feel the blush on her face deepen. "Sorry about the other night, by the way." He said. _The other night wasn't a problem, I actually enjoyed it. I didn't even get nervous about it until halfway back to Beacon... now it's hard to even look at him._ She waved him off. "It's fine." She said. He shook his head. "No, it isn't, I didn't even ask you before I did that, and that's a problem." He said.

She sighed. _Yes, technicality wise it was a problem... but it doesn't change the fact that I don't care at this point. Fuck, right now I want him to do it_ ** _again_** _._ She felt her heart start to pound, and she coughed to clear a bit of her own tension. "Anyway, Weiss said that you should come back either today or tomorrow so the two of you can start to study a bit." She said. He nodded. "Thanks for telling me... tell her I'll be back early tomorrow morning." He said. He smiled at her. "By the way... you don't have to put a lot of thought into the other night... I did that simply because I like you." He said.

She felt her mind melt. _I wasn't expecting him to be so forthcoming. I can't very well just tell him how I feel yet... or more like I don't really know how I feel._ She coughed again, returning her thoughts to their rightful place. "Well then, I'm off." She said, and turned away. She nearly passed out, sprinting the entirety of the way, her mind dizzied with Yuri's words. _It doesn't seem like thinking about_ ** _him_** _makes me nervous, that's a good sign. It doesn't matter, Blake, he and Yang are all but together now._ She closed in on the school, and nearly collided with Sun, who attempted to greet her, but she completely ignored him.

He turned to catch her attention, but he caught a rather soft scent on the wind. _A human? Wow... he's pretty deep in the forest too. Maybe it's her new team member?_ He was now more interested in her rendezvous partner than bothering her, and instead turned his focus to the forest path. He began the tiresome walk along the shadowed forest floor. His eyes spotted a small clearing with a group of large stones, which as he neared, made him feel slightly nauseous. He passed through the clearing, following the scent as it got stronger.

Yuri turned his head, hearing a noise in the distance. _I don't recognize those footsteps._ He hopped into the branches of a nearby tree, catching himself on one of the thicker branches. A young man walked into the smaller clearing. Yuri pulled out his jitte, then dropped behind him. Yuri wrapped his fingers around the man's forehead, pulling his head back and sliding the blade to the base of his throat. "I don't know you... so give me one reason not to take your head off." He said.

"Whoa, whoa, take it easy... I'm from the school. Are you Kallen?" He asked. Yuri pulled the blade away from the man's throat, then pushed him away. "Talk." He said. Sun put his hands up. "Not here to fight, just wondering who you are." He said. Yuri's eyes darted over his body. _Faunus._ "Monkey... you must be Sun." He said. Sun's eyes lit up. "You know me? I guess you **are** Yuri." He said. Yuri, now aware that the person who had interrupted was friendly, gave a small bow. "A pleasure." He said.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sun snickered at Yuri's exposition of the last bank heist that he had foiled. They had walked towards the town, and were now near the center. "The absolute highlight of that night... had to be... when the idiot who planned it... panicked, and forgot the code to let himself out of the vault." Yuri laughed. Sun howled, patting his hand against his thigh as he did. "Wow, that had to be quite the experience." He said. Yuri nodded. "So... being a vigilante... is that really so... exciting?" He asked. Yuri smiled wryly. "Exciting, heart-wrenching, nerve-racking... those are the words I would use to describe it." He said.

"I had a family of like-minded individuals, we worked, lived, and laughed together... and they were taken from this world... far too early." He said. "Wow... must have hit you hard." He said. "What exactly made you desire to do this kind of thing?" He asked. "Specifically... it was... growing up... the way I did." He said. "I don't follow." Sun said. Yuri gave a sigh. "I grew up... in a larger family... an older sister, two younger ones, and two younger brothers. My mother... is a researcher... she was working with Dust effects on Human and Faunus biology, or something of that nature." He said, before breaking into a soft yawn. _Hmm, I'm not tired... I guess I'm just comfortable._

"My father was a researcher as well, creating Dust-based weaponry. We were a tight knit family, and we cared about each other. I had a friend, Faunus, she was a little older than me, but we were rather close, so I never grew up with that conditioned hate towards Faunus, so when we were forced to move to the Menagerie, I was horrified at how they were treated." He said, stopping to catch his breath. "But seeing how people were starting to treat one another, it planted some kind of disgust in me... eventually, my parents decided to move... but me, at the ripe old age of eleven... decided that I was going to stay."

Sun gave him a look of confusion. "You're human... right? Wouldn't it have been safer to stay with your family?" He asked. Yuri nodded, stretching his arms into the air. "Of course... it's a place where the majority of people are Faunus... and Humans aren't exactly beloved by them even now... and it was rough for the first year or so... but eventually, my constant well meaning and the fact that I simply see Faunus as people... helped them to finally trust me as a protector... not long after... I met the rest of ORB." He said. "ORB?" Sun asked.

"ORB... Our Righteous Blood." He said. "Sounds pretty cult-esque, right?" He asked. Sun nodded. "That's kind of... you know... murdery." He laughed. Yuri laughed in turn. "Yep, we went around on full moons sacrificing children to our loving master the Moon God." He said, trying his hardest to keep a straight face, but eventually failing. "Oh... oh... okay, need to catch my breath." He gasped, laughter choking out in between the gasps. They calmed down after a moment, and Yuri began.

"I and Kaia, my childhood friend, met them when they were discussing the best way to take down criminals before they struck. We were just walking by, but I told them that you really can't, especially since they weren't law enforcement. If you try to undermine a group before they've done anything illegal, it becomes assault. So I told them that they needed to stick close to their targets, and learn what they're planning. Once they enact their plans, you can bring them down." I said.

He nodded understandingly. "Yeah, it'd probably be bad if you got sued for assault despite their bad intentions." He said. Yuri shrugged. "Yeah, at the time they weren't really familiar with legal proceedings, but... that was because the three of them were orphans." He said. "Really? How old were you when you all met?" He asked. Yuri thought for a moment. "Well.. I was eleven, and Kaia was thirteen. Umm, Jonah, Mint, and Aria were all fourteen at the time." He said, nodding to himself, affirming his statement.

He did a quick spin around. "What is it?" Sun asked. Yuri put his finger to his lips, asking Sun to give him a moment. Sun quieted down, and Yuri listened to the wind. "Fuck you, you stupid bitch!" Came the shout from about three blocks away. Yuri reeled back. "You hear that?" He asked. Sun nodded, and they began sprinting down the street, nearly hurling themselves into the road as they tried to turn the corner where the sound was located.

A man, Human, was holding a woman by the wrists. At closer inspection, the woman was a Faunus, rat. "Why the fuck are you in our part of the city?" He screamed more than asked. Sun stepped forward, but Yuri pulled him back. "I'll go." He said. He stepped forward, hands tugging on his cloak's strings. "There a problem?" He asked. The man turned to him, then grinned. "Hey man, help me hold this stupid fuck down, I've got something for her." He said.

Yuri took a soft step forward, then planted his fist into the man's stomach. The man's fingers released the woman's wrist, and he began clutching at his stomach, before giving a rather violent dry heave, then collapsed on the ground. "Dude! I thought you couldn't do anything until they did anything!" He said. Yuri turned to the woman, who was now massaging her wrists. "Was he hurting you, Miss?" He asked. She nodded and he turned to Sun. "That guy was hurting her, I just stopped him." He said with a shrug.

"Why did you help me... aren't you Human?" She asked. He nodded. "Yep, but that really shouldn't matter, should it?" He said, giving her a smile. "I helped you because you're a person, that's all." He said. She looked at him for a moment, then bowed gratefully. "I wish more people, Human and Faunus, were like you." She said, turning with a wave. As she walked away Sun strode up to Yuri's side. "Jeez man, you beat that dude down." He said.

Yuri looked at the man slumped on the ground for a moment, then shrugged. "I suppose, he had it coming though. Anyone who can attack someone because they don't like them is scum. I attack people to protect others, regardless of my own safety." He said. Sun shook his head. "I think you're crazy. But maybe that's just me." He said. Yuri turned back towards the school. "Come, we should be getting back." He said. _He seems to be okay with Humans and being equal, I wonder what his opinion of the White Fang is._

 _It doesn't matter right now, I've got some studying to catch up on._


	7. Chapter 7 - Pained

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 7**

Weiss looked across the room at Yuri, who was positioned comfortably on Blake's bed, his eyes scanning quickly across the pages of the textbook which she had assigned him. They had been at it for hours, and he was rather well read, much to her surprise. "Why do you already seem to know all of this?" She asked. He seemed startled by her interjection into his reading, but recovered near instantly. "What? Oh... I have spent a lot of time in libraries and bookstores. I probably **do** know all of this." He said.

He looked at her, then made a sour face. _Is he mad at me or something?_ She stopped what she was doing completely, wracking her brain to try to see if she had slighted him in any way... but found nothing. Then she heard it. Her stomach gave a rather loud rumble, and Yuri's angered face turned to one that found her current situation rather amusing. "Well... someone seems hungry." He snickered. She felt her face burning with embarrassment. "A lady's struggle's are no laughing matter, any refined gentleman would know that." She scoffed.

He tilted his head slightly, then gave a slight smirk. "Well... would the young lady prefer that the gentleman take her out to eat now... or later?" He asked. _Aaand, he's turned my scorn on me in a single question... you see Weiss? THIS is why you learn about someone_ _ **before**_ _you make assumptions._ She ceased her own mental self-punishment, before taking a moment to remind herself that Yuri was someone who threw himself onto the streets, and someone who does that has to have a serious mental constitution in order to survive as long as he has. _He's not someone that can be toyed with, not by emotions at least... and... well he doesn't seem all that interested in... well anyone other than Yang... sexually at least._

She almost began imagining how a sexual encounter between him and Yang would play out, then shook the thoughts away as they gradually became more graphic. "Well... I suppose since you're offering, and I am quite hungry, so... alright." She said. She lifted herself off of her own bed, and slipped off the side ably. "Where... are we going?" She asked. He _did_ say he was taking her somewhere, and that does sort of imply that their destination... well... wasn't here. "A friend of mine owns a pretty nice place, and he's owes me some favors, and since I don't like it when others owe me favors, I guess I'll just have to use them. Luckily we won't have to suffer through the ridiculous reservation process." He said.

"Are you wearing that? Or are you changing into something else?" She asked. He grinned. "You concerned with how your date is going to look?" He asked. _I... really want to punch him, he seems to be adept at embarrassing me with my own words._ "It's not a date, and you know that!" She shouted. _As strong as he seems, words are his most deadly weapon. I need to keep my guard up._ He laughed as her anger boiled. " **I** knew that, but it obviously seemed to be a point of contention in **your** mind." He said. A now fuming Weiss pointed at the door. "Out! I need to get ready." She said. _Ugghhhh! Why are you letting him get you so flustered? You need to calm down!_

Yuri knocked on the door. "Oh, by the way, if you have something that's light blue, you should wear that." He said. _Light blue? I have... that... but... oh fine I'll wear it._ She rifled through her things, pulling out the long blue dress that she had brought with her when her schooling at Beacon had begun. She hadn't even pulled it out since she stored it, let alone wore it. _I hadn't really decided when I was going to wear this. I guess this is as good a time as any._ She removed her own clothes, and as she did, questioned for a moment as to why she even cared. Was she getting dressed up for the location, or for Yuri?

 _Well... I... don't... really know. The thought of him seeing me in this is... exciting... I suppose, but I don't know why._ She slipped the dress over her skin, it was the first time she had even put it on, she had bought it on impulse and never even tried it on. It was comfortable, and she was very happy with the way it looked on her. She slipped on a pair of high heels and grabbed her bag. "You out there?" She asked, opening the door. "Yeah." He said a little absentmindedly. He was typing on his Scroll, but she couldn't see what exactly. "We need to stop somewhere on the way." He said. She agreed, and they made their way to the airship.

They walked for about 15 minutes after they left the airship. Weiss recognized the area, although she had only been there with her mother a few times. They stopped in front of an unmarked building. Its windows were black, and it seemed rather... uninviting. "This is where I needed to go... you should wait out here, my friend only invited me, and he doesn't let anyone in uninvited." He said. He opened the door, and she could see that the entrance was completely dark, no light was visible anywhere in the building at all. Although this concerned Weiss, Yuri seemed to be... understanding of the fact. He turned to her and smiled. "I'll be just a moment." He said, before stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

She stood there, waiting for what seemed to be three or four minutes. The door opened, and Yuri stepped out. _Holy. Shit._ His cloak had been exchanged for an entirely new outfit. He was now adorned with a soft gray suit vest and a white undershirt. Professional, but casual. _I suppose I should have expected this by now._ "Thanks for waiting." His eyes scanned over her. "You look really nice by the way." He said. _Well... at least it was a good idea to wear this._ "Is that all?" She asked. He nodded and gestured down the street.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They took their seats in the quiet restaurant, which as Weiss had predicted, was incredibly expensive. It was the restaurant that her parents went to after they got married. If she remembered correctly, the pair had to wait more than a year for their reservation. She looked at Yuri, then began to ask him how he knew the owner, when none other than the owner himself appeared next to their table. "Yuri! It's so good to see you!" He said. His voice was boisterous, and startled many of the guests who were having quiet conversation.

Yuri stood and shook the mans outstretched hand. "It's good to see you, Dell." He said. They began speaking about topics that Weiss had no interest in, and her mind began to wander as she watched Yuri's face shifting as he spoke. Her eyes drifted across his outfit. Grey vest, white shirt, black pants. All well crafted, and to be honest, it made him look quite dashing. _He... looks familiar... but I can't put my finger on who exactly he reminds me of._ "Hey! You mind if I send my daughter out here? I know she'd be exalted to see you." He said.

Yuri seemed a bit apprehensive towards the offer, but eventually nodded. The man gave a large, rather flamboyant gesture. A girl of about 19 years of age peeked her head out from the room the owner gestured towards. She bounced happily over to the table. _She's a Faunus, it wasn't really obvious until she got close._ She threw herself onto Yuri, grinning as she did. "It's good to see you, lover." She pressed her lips to his cheek, although he didn't seem uncomfortable, he didn't exactly seem thrilled.

She broke off of him after her eyes fell on Weiss. "Oh, you have a date, and a cute one too. Be sure to be gentle with her, there aren't many girls out there that can take as much punishment as I can." She said with a wink. They spoke about Yuri's work for a moment, then she seemed satisfied with seeing him. She gave him another kiss on the cheek, then made her way back to the door from which she came. "How do you know them, exactly?" Weiss asked. Yuri scratched his head. "Well... I saved the both of them when they were on a trip in the Menagerie... and since I saved two of them, her father decided he owed me two favors." He waved his hands around him. "This... is the lesser favor." He said.

Her eyes widened in shock. _This outing would cost what? A couple million Lien for the dinner? Maybe more to get in, in the first place? THAT'S what he considers lesser?_ She looked at him. "Wow, what was the larger favor?" She asked curiously. He smirked, turning his head to the side. "Well... do you honestly want to know?" He asked. She nodded. He sighed, then shrugged. "His daughter and I entered a sexually intimate relationship that was originally without his knowledge. We eventually told him, but by that point we had stopped sleeping together. That was what she meant by "be gentle"." He laughed.

 _That's surprising, not shocking, but surprising._ "So you demanded that she have sex with you in return for saving her?" She asked. He shook his head. "Not at all, it was her desire to sleep with me. I repeatedly tried to get her to choose something else, but eventually, I gave in. I don't regret it, it was a quite enjoyable experience, especially considering how young I was, and it was my first sexual relationship." He said. "In fact, that was the second girl that you've met who I've slept with." He told her. _Second?_ "Who was the first?" She asked. "Kaliya." He said.

 _Nope, not really surprised at that either, now that I think about it, considering how she acted towards him._ Their food arrived at the table, and they quietly began eating. _He seems rather calm at times like these, he's... like a different person._ Around forty-five minutes later,the front door to the restaurant slammed open, and two women with assault rifles and low hanging cowls walked in. Yuri's head perked up, and his face quickly turned angry. "What are you two doing here?!" He screamed. Their eyes widened in what seemed to Weiss to be regret. "K-Kallen!? Why are you here?" The said in unison. Yuri jumped from his seat and disappeared.

Moments later the two women's heads clattered together, and they fell to the floor. _He used that camouflage thing... I see._ He reappeared behind them and lifted them up, tossed them out, then closed the door. He walked back to the table, and took a seat. "You know them?" Weiss asked. He nodded. "This isn't the first time I've caught them in the act." He said. "They... have good reason to do what they do... but, I just wish they wouldn't go about it violently." He said. He looked down at her now empty plate, then to his own, which was empty as well. He pulled his cloak off of the back of the chair. "Are you ready to leave?" He asked.

She nodded, then stood, grabbing her bag. A waiter rushed over to their table, holding a small, corked bottle. "The price of the meal has been waived, and I've been asked to present this gift to you. We appreciate the action you took in dealing with those two." He said. Yuri sighed and took the bottle from the man. He handed it to Weiss. "You mind holding on to this?" He asked. She slipped the bottle into her bag. He gave the owner a small wave then opened the door.

His eyes fell on the two girls, still lying unconscious on the sidewalk. He lifted them into his arms. Weiss then saw just how young they were. _They must be younger than fourteen._ "We'll be quick. I just need to take them home." He said. She shrugged. "That's fine." She said. They began walking and continued for a few minutes more. They turned down a small alley, and Yuri opened a door near the back wall. He carried the two girls in and laid them down on a small bed in the corner of the room.

Weiss looked around for a few seconds. The tiny room was dimly lit, and rather dirty. There was a small wooden table in the center, with three chairs of dissimilar make surrounding it. The walls were a barren beige, and seemed to only be clean near the ground, likely due to the young girls' heights. Her eyes continued scanning the room, and she nearly missed the tiny toddler sitting on a chair quietly. The girls soft face was smudged with dirt, and she looked rather thin. Weiss gave a startled "Oh!" and the girl shook herself awake.

Her face turned quickly when her gaze locked on Weiss, but she seemed to calm down quite a bit when she realized Yuri was there as well. "Hi-hi, Ni-Ni." She whispered. Yuri turned to her. "Hello there, little Momo. It's been a while since I last got a chance to see you, eh?" He asked with a smile. The girl lifted her arms into the air, and Yuri stepped over to her and picked her up. "Ni-Ni, did my sisters misbehave again?" She asked. He gave a wry smile, and nodded. The little girl sighed. "Oh well, did you stop them?" She asked. He nodded again. "Good, I'm tired Ni-Ni, can you put me to bed?" She asked.

He stepped across the room and sat the tiny girl down on the bed, and she teetered over, slipping herself under the sheet. She drifted off almost instantly, and Yuri pulled away slowly. His hands shot to his back, and he rifled around in his money bag for a moment. He pulled out five black Lien chips and set them down on the table. "That's a lot of money." Weiss said. "It is... they'll need it. I don't want them going down that path again." He said. "Hopefully they can subsist on this for a while, if they can't I'll help them again."

"You know, you don't have to help them." She said. "Yes I do!" He snarled. Weiss recoiled slightly, shocked at the virulent decrement of her statement. "You're saying that I should be content to watch others who never chose their way of life suffer?" He asked. "I reject that notion, and instate my own. If someone has power, it is their duty to assist those who are less fortunate, but only if their circumstances were forced upon them." He said. Weiss put her hands up. "Sorry, I was speaking to more of the vigilante in you." He calmed down almost instantly. "I get it. But they didn't choose this life, their father was killed by the White Fang when he stood against their violent nature, and their mother died during labor while delivering Momo." He said.

 _Oh... now I feel pretty bad... I guess helping them isn't exactly wrong._ They stepped outside, and Yuri quietly closed the door behind them. "They can't work since they're so young, and no one's willing to take them in, since they're Faunus." He said. "So what else can they really do other than turn to crime?" He said. "Now... adults are a different matter." He sighed. "As a person... seeing the rich... continuously spit on the poor for being less fortunate... that sickens me." He said. "These people breathe, bleed, laugh, love, and cry, the same as everyone else. So when someone sees another as lesser, it saddens me." He said.

They walked back towards the school in silence for the next few minutes. Weiss' eyes drifted across his face. _He's red, it's not particularly hot today. His hands are shaking, and his face seems to be... pained. But nothing happened other than the momentary scuffle with those girls..._ "Hey... are you feeling alright?" She asked. "Uh-Uh... my... my body... hurts... all of it." As the words left his mouth, his thoughts began to form much more slowly, his head, fingers, and gums were all burning as though consumed by flame. He dropped to his knees, now gasping for air, his lungs filled with nothing but fire. "Whoa, do you need help?" She asked.

His pained face turned to her, his eyes watery and bloodshot. "I... I don't know... this is... odd... I..." He trailed off, his mind obviously unable to keep pace with his words. His shaking hands shot into his pockets, and his Scroll clattered to the ground. "Call my mother... please." He said. She quickly picked up the Scroll and searched through his contacts. She selected the one listed as "Mother" and began a connection. She heard a sound she recognized. _That's a Schnee Dust Company ring-tone._ The connection was accepted, clicking into the speaker loudly. _"Hello... This is Diana Greymoor, I don't remember this number... who is this?"_ Came a familiar voice that made Weiss' eyes widen in shock.

 _I... I don't believe it... all this time... Yuri's HER son?_


	8. Chapter 8 - Family and Bliss

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 8**

" _Ms. Schnee, I'm going to recommend you not squeeze that vial so tightly." Mrs. Greymoor's voice echoed from the other side of the room. Weiss' fingers closed around the vial a little more tightly, a natural reaction, as her mind immediately focused on the advice, but hadn't had time to comprehend it. The vial shattered in her hand, scattering broken glass across the floor, and leaving a deep gash in her finger. "Ow!" She yelped. Diana shook her head. "Oh dear... come here." She said. Weiss did as she said, sprinting while trying to keep her blood from dripping on her clothes._

 _Diana pulled out a tiny, corked bottle filled with a pure white Dust. She unsealed it then spread some along her finger. As Weiss neared her she snatched her wrist, then ran her Dust-coated finger along the wound. Weiss' eyes widened in wonder as the cut closed almost instantly. "The wonderful thing about Dust... is that no matter how violent a purpose it is turned to, it can always be used to help others." She said._

 _"Thank you, Mrs. Greymoor." Weiss said with a smile. "How does that stuff work?" She asked. The woman gave a soft smile. "Don't thank me... thank my firstborn son, who's your age... he designed the concept. Oh and it works by prematurely activating proteolytic enzymes that are essential for healing." She said. "Really? You talk about him a lot... but I've never met him. When are you going to bring him here?" She asked. Diana had brought her children into the headquarters multiple times, but they were all three years younger._

 _Diana's eyes averted Weiss' gaze. "He... left a few years back... he's a brilliant young man, and he could be anything he really wished to, but instead decided to help common people with his own two hands." She said. "Are you sad that he's gone?" Weiss asked. "Well it's always a sad thing to watch your child leave... but I couldn't be more proud of his choice... he took the selfless path... and put the interest of the people above his own desires." She grinned at Weiss. "When you run this company in the years to come, you'll have to make that choice too."_

Weiss' eyes fluttered open to the sound of the surgery room door opening. Mrs. Greymoor stepped out with a rather large smile on her face, one so large in fact that it was easily visible underneath her sterile face mask. She sat down next to Weiss, who despite seeing the smile, was rather concerned about the well-being of her fallen teammate. "Is he goi-" She began, but was interrupted by the other woman raising her finger. She sighed, then pulled the mask away from her face. "He's doing just fine, dear." She said.

Weiss gave a heavy sigh of her own. "I can't believe he's your son!" She said. "Okay, okay, calm down." She laughed. "Although I will admit that it was rather fortuitous that you met my son. Thank you for bringing him to me... even if it was just to help him. I haven't heard from him, let alone seen him, for almost a decade." She said. Weiss nodded vigorously. "I'm happy for you. So... what exactly happened?" She asked.

Diana turned slightly to the door she had entered through. "Well... I've no doubt that he has explained to you that he's a Human... and he is, was... now. This is despite being born to a Faunus mother. Now... the only way that that would be possible is if he were born to a different woman... and believe me, I can account firsthand that he wasn't." She stopped, seemingly gathering her thoughts. "I saw the bullet wounds on his back, are those recent?" She asked.

Weiss nodded, as did she. "Well... one of the bullets ricocheted off of his spine, that would normally kill someone, but he's a Royal, so it's not really shocking that he survived." She said. "What's a... Royal?" Weiss asked. "Hush, that's something personal to my son, so you should ask him." She said. _But_ _ **you're**_ _the one who brought it up..._ "Now... the body grows when it heals... and he, because of his lack of Faunus alleles, couldn't regrow things normally... so, if my theory is correct... his body forced itself to take on recessive Faunus alleles to enable the damage to be repaired." She said.

"That... doesn't make much sense." Weiss commented. "His body could heal surface damage rather easily... but because his gene sequence was... technically incomplete... he couldn't heal intense sub-dermal damage... I think those bullet wounds were the first case of serious internal injury Yuri's ever faced, at least he doesn't have scars from other injuries that I can see." She said. "Oh... as I was saying, because of his incomplete gene sequence, his body had to force the recessive Faunus alleles that had no effect on his development to become dominant ones that... and that caused his body to begin development of Faunus qualities. Also, just so you know, the Human part of the brain that determines personality isn't the same as the Faunus part." She finished.

"Okay, so his body... needed to heal... but didn't have the means to do so... so it forced itself to adapt those means into himself, by forcing himself to become Faunus?" She asked. Diana nodded. "I know it sounds a bit ridiculous, but he **did** technically have recessive Faunus alleles, so I suppose that his body killed off some of its Human alleles, and that brought forth a change that should have happened at birth." She said. "This should have happened in the womb, and it's surprising that it didn't, considering that his twin sister was born with both qualities." She mused, seemingly to no one.

"Yuri had a-" "Drake." She said. Weiss looked at her confusedly. "Drake?" She asked. "That's the name he was born with, Drake Greymoor." She said. "Then why does he... call himself... Yuri Kallen?" Weiss mused. "Is that what he's calling himself? That's cute. Yuri is his Father's Great-Grandfather's first name. Kallen is my Mother's Maiden name." She said. "But why those names though?" She pressed.

Diana thought for a moment. "Well he never met his Great-Great-Grandfather, but he did read the old man's journal a lot. As for my mother, they were very close... although he hasn't spoken to any of us in years... I'm sure he's checked on her from time to time." She said. Her eyes lit up. "Oh, that reminds me. He's changed quite a bit, physically." She said. "What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

As if on cue, the door slammed open. Weiss' eyes widened in shock at the incredible changes that Yuri had in fact, undergone. _He's so_ _ **tall**_ _._ And he was, he originally stood at only five-foot-ten. Looking at him, it was nearly impossible to tell how tall he had become. His face's features had sharpened, almost all of them, his face was definitely the same... it just seemed... slightly more refined. His muscle structure had doubled, no, tripled, and his chest, arms, and legs had become enormous. His hair had lengthened significantly, and it now drifted softly at his shoulders. His eyes didn't seem to have changed much, although his pupils **had** become more slanted, almost canine. They darted around, as though they were struggling to comprehend the situation.

"What... happened to my body?" He asked. Weiss' eyes widened even further. His voice had deepened significantly. "Why do I feel so tall?" He asked. "Because now you are, my dear son. You were roughly five-ten when your friend here had you brought in, now... I'd say that... you stand at around... six-foot-eleven." She said. Weiss looked him over, then determined that she agreed with Mrs. Greymoor's estimation. His now bulky body shuddered. "I feel... so bulky." He said. "Well... that should, and I'm stressing should, be an extreme form... try... suppressing your energy. Specifically your Royalty." She advised.

His eyes darted to Weiss, who shrugged. "I don't know what that is, only that you are one." She countered. He pursed his lips, then nodded, pressing his hands together. A small black sphere formed in between his palms and it fluxed between a large and small, then dissipated. His body shuddered violently, then another sphere burst from his body, enveloping him. It seemed solid, and was so incredibly opaque that Weiss had difficulty telling exactly where its edges were. It stayed there for a moment, then it dissipated again. He was... seemingly back to normal, well, mostly.

His height was two, maybe three inches greater than it was when Weiss had first met him. Even still, it definitely was a more normal sight than before. His hair had receded as well, back to its own original state. His face had kept its changes, and was more fitting on his now smaller frame. "That's better." His voice was still quite husky, but once again more fitting for him. He turned to his mother, and she stood up, before they both threw their arms around one another. "Nine years, nine years, and you didn't even call... you're one hell of son, aren't you?" She asked playfully.

"Sorry mother, I've missed you... and everyone, the family... Dad... even her." He said, the smile on his face wry and tight, but definitely happy. "Are we bothering you at work? Would it be better for me to come back later or-" Diana put her finger to his lips, cutting off his words. "Hush, boy. I called your father, and he's bringing your brothers and sisters with him here." She said. Yuri's widened in shock and his mouth twisted into an excited smile.

They sat in the room, and waited for around for about 15 minutes. Then the elevator down the hall gave a soft ring, and as the doors slid open, a man who was undoubtedly Yuri's father, along with 4 young teens, two boys and two girls, all the same age, who were also undoubtedly his siblings, although he hadn't seem them in so long, it was hard to tell to which was which. One of the girls shrieked and sprinted down the hall, then leapt into Yuri's arms. "Big Brother!" She screamed.

Yuri's eyes widened at the girls excitement. "Anna! Baby sister it's been too long." His gaze shot to each of the other children. "Bree, Melo, Hyde! Come here." He said. Now certain as to who he was, they all followed the example of their sister, running down the hall and literally tackling the laughing young man to the ground.

Yuri and the children began chasing each other down the hallway, with their father following them behind. Weiss turned to Diana. "You said something previously about his personality, what were you getting to?" She asked. "Well... look I'm not a psychiatrist, but the Human and Faunus brains use different sections to house the personalities. I'm only speculating, but I still think you should be warned." She said. "Alright, warn me." Weiss requested.

"His human side is a more... reserved person, obviously he has the ability to be loud and boisterous, but it's not in his nature to get extremely angry. But... his Faunus is new, and if it takes over as a personality, it will be quite a different experience. He will be violent, hypersexual, aggressive, and most of all, very persuasive." She said. "Okay, thank you for the warning." Weiss said. "Wait. That's not the warning." Diana started. Weiss who had turned her head to try to find Yuri in the large hall, turned back. "If... Drake, tries to come on to you, sexually... I hate to tell you this, but you need to let him."

Weiss' eyes widened further. Mrs. Greymoor put her hand up. "I know, that's a strange thing to say, but we've been her for roughly three hours, and you two got here at around five. So I figured that I should run some diagnostics on my son. What I found is both encouraging and worrying. Yuri's brain will have these personalities for about three or four days, then, if my data is correct, they'll likely combine together, since the brain doesn't function well with multiple personalities." She said.

Her own gaze drifted down the hall, to the younger children, then to her husband, then to Yuri. "Drake's new personality is... well, it understands things, but it's knowledge... it will still have to learn reactions from others. If you reject Drake, or interact with him negatively while he's in that personality, it'll create an imbalance of anger in his new mind, and when they merge, it will severely effect his mental state." She said. Weiss gave an exasperated sigh, then nodded. "Alright, it'll only be for a few days, right?" She asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, I don't see it in Yuri's nature to do anything too crazy, so I wouldn't worry about him trying to rape you, thoughts like that don't seem like they'll... fester in his mind." She said. Although she was a Faunus, Weiss had always trusted her implicitly, mostly due to the fact that she hadn't been wrong before, so... despite a gnawing worry in the back of her mind, she agreed. Yuri had yet to seem like a cold-hearted person in her eyes... and something about him made her... trust him. She shook the negative thoughts from her mind, then called out to Yuri. "Hey! I think it's time we get back, we still need to study!" She shouted after him down the hall.

His head perked up from where he had been bent down, tickling two of his siblings. He lifted himself up, then nodded. "Well, little ones, I suppose I'll have to come visit you all later." He said, despite the protest of his brothers and sisters. He turned to his father. "You wouldn't mind me stopping by every once in a while, right?" His father nodded. "Of course, you're our son, and you're always welcome." He said. Diana stood up, then rummaged through her coat. She pulled out her own Scroll. "I believe Ms. Schnee used your Scroll to contact me, so I'll just send you our address and other info." She said.

Yuri agreed, and after a few moments of consoling one of his sisters who had burst into tears at the thought of Yuri leaving, and promising her he would return soon, he and Weiss left the building. He looked around for a moment after they left the main entrance. "Are we in Atlas?" He asked. He turned around, and was given another shock upon seeing the Schnee logo on the front of the building. "Did we come to the Headquarters?" He asked before Weiss could answer his first question. "Yes, and yes. I was going to take you to a regular hospital, but your mother advised against it, as she didn't know what was wrong at the time, and needed to have a proper period do diagnose you, so I brought you here, where she works." She said.

"I see, that makes sense." He said, as they stepped onto the waiting airship. It took off and Yuri stumbled a bit, with Weiss taking his arm to steady him. "You feeling okay?" She asked. He nodded. "I suppose that large amounts of spontaneous growth messes with your equilibrium." He laughed. She sighed, and she continued holding his arm. They stood silently as the ship swept through the air over the earth below.

Eventually, the airship landed at Beacon, and they stepped off onto the landing platform. To Yuri's surprise, Yang was waiting, and she seemed rather shaken. Upon seeing Yuri, her face twisted into a multitude of expression, first came shock, then worry, and finally relief. She jumped onto Yuri and kissed him angrily. She pulled away after a moment, and grabbed him by his collar. Her eyes scanned him heavily for a moment. "You got taller, and you look a bit different too." She noted. He nodded. "I have, although I have yet to see what I look like exactly. So... since you can see me, is the change good or bad?" He asked. "Neutral, you were good-looking before, and you're still good looking now." She said bluntly. He nodded. Her thoughts derailed for a moment, but she seemed to put herself back on track after some deliberation.

"Weiss told me what happened, why didn't you call me?" She asked. He looked at her for a second, then gave her a confused look. "I was unconscious." He said calmly. She blinked, then blinked again, then a third time. "Oh yeah, I suppose I should have understood that when Weiss told me." She said with a rather heavy blush. "Alright, I just wanted to make sure you were okay." She said jovially. "And you are, so I'm happy. I'll see you two back in the dorm. Just try to be quiet, Ruby's already gone to bed." She said.

Yuri turned to Weiss after Yang began walking away. "This is the second time that you've come to my aid after I've collapsed." He said. He bowed slightly. "I appreciate your assistance in both cases." He finished. His eyes grew dull, and he pressed his hand to his forehead, giving a rather pained groan. "Hey are you al-" She didn't finish, finding it exceptionally hard to form words with Yuri's lips pressed against hers. His tongue dipped between her teeth, and she almost pulled away, but instead did something that surprised even her. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. They stayed locked against one another for what felt to her like a blissful eternity. But even still, he eventually pulled away, despite her attempt to keep him close.

His eyes were confused, but even more worrying to her, they were scared, hurt. She reached out, but he pulled back, now more uncertain of himself than anything else. "I overheard you and my mother." He said. "I'll be back in a few days, while my personalities battle it out. I need to do this alone." He said. Confused, Weiss expressed concern for him. "Are you sure you don't need someone with you?" She asked. "Did you enjoy that kiss?" He asked. She thought about it for a moment, then gave slight nod. He pulled her face to his and kissed her again, this time much more forcefully, completely frazzling her mind. It took her nearly thirty seconds to regain her composure, but by that point, he was already gone. _He sure likes to leave us all behind. Oh well, at least he has his Scroll._

 _I wonder, what will his personality be like when it's all over and done with?_


	9. Chapter 9 - Minds, Royalty, and Plots

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 9**

Blake dashed through the forest, Sun a few meters behind her. "You know, you seem pretty worried about him." He commented. "Huh? Oh... well... he is my teammate." She replied. _Really, is that the only reason why she's worried? Wait... why am I questioning her... well actually it's because she's not the kind of girl who gets attached to many people, and she seems really attached to this guy she's only known for a week... Ughhh, it's frustrating, but I have to deal with that later, right now she wants help finding him, so that's what I'll do._

They reached the grave site, and were met with an odd sight. An enormous black sphere was suspended in mid air behind the graves. Blake and Sun's sprint screeched to a halt as they became transfixed by the object. "What is that thing?" She asked quietly. He shrugged, more to himself as he knew she couldn't see him. He felt a sharp shock rip through his head. "I don't know, but man... looking at it gives me a headache, it's like that thing is vibrating but my mind can't keep up with it." He groaned. "I... I think it is... I... can hear it humming." She said.

He began rubbing his fingers against his temples, his vision now suffering from his inability to process its movement. "You hear humming... for me it's like... someone slamming on a snare drum." He said. Blake slowly inched closer to the sphere. _I don't get it... why is it floating?_ Sun felt his stomach churn, and he threw his hands over his mouth. "Sorry, I can't do this... I'll see you back at the school." He said, before spinning around and darting away from her.

She gave him no regard, and slowly crept closer, now being about eight feet from the sphere. Her hand reached out due to her rampant curiosity. A tiny bit of the black mass pulled away, splitting silently from the whole. The small substance darted around her hand, caressing her fingertips, and dancing in her palm. Without warning, the substance shot back into the sphere. The spot where the masses merged began rippling. Moments later, a hand, or at least the shape of a hand, emerged from the disturbed location.

More of a form began pulling itself out. Eventually, it was completely clear as to what, exactly, it was. It was Yuri... well, at least it seemed to be. His arms had become strange and gangling, his torso distorted. He was a solid black, and seemed to be incoherent as to his surroundings. His cold, dead looking eyes lacked pupils. His head twisted in a rather painful looking manner, then his gaze shot up to her, his eyes locking with hers.

"Oh... it's... you." He said, his voice was nearly indiscernible, and it rasped with heavy wheezes as he spoke. The long pauses between his words were filled with a nasty, gravelly crackle that seemed incredibly unnatural. She began to speak, but only had time to utter his name "Yuri-" before she felt the cold grip of his fingers on her skull, hindering her vision, a heavy gust from motion, then a sharp pain on the back of her head. _He slammed me into a tree?_ She gave a shriek of pain when he spun her around. The feeling of his fingers on base of her neck brought no comfort.

Now she could see, just barely. _My vision is so blurry... is that blood!? Oh god... is he trying to kill me!? Why?_ He threw her forward again, the left side of her brow slamming into the tree. He repeated the action again, then stopped. The massive pain that tore through her face and skull was nearly unbearable, and she knew that if he did it again she may not survive. Her hands dropped to her sides, as she realized that his grip was unshakable. Her fingers brushed against Gambol Shroud, and she squeezed her hand around the hilt, and she tore it from its sheath and swung it behind her.

She felt the blade tear into his flesh, but he didn't even seem to notice. His other hand wrapped around her wrist, squeezing her so hard that she had no choice but to drop her weapon. As it clattered against the protruding roots of the tree, she felt his face near her ear. He drew in a deep breath and spoke with a voice that was more reminiscent of his normal speech, but no less horrifying. "Wanna hear a secret? I'm not Yuri... nope... nope, not him... not him." He said. "Then... who are you?" Blake asked.

The thing burst into a heinous laughter that echoed in her ears. "I am him... but... I'm not... I'm his Faunus... and I want to kill you." It said. "What... why?" She asked. It rammed the hand that was once holding her wrist into her cheek. "Don't you **fucking** tell me you've forgotten what YOU DID TO US!" It screamed. _What? What? What... did_ ** _I_** _do?_ " **He** may have forgotten what you did... oh but I didn't... I'm going... to fucking end you right here, right now... because you can't be trusted." It said.

It squeezed its fingers that were gripping her neck, and she felt her body lock up. It bent down and picked up the Gambol Shroud. "This is yours, yes? Good, good." It said. It slid the blade across her throat, readying to slit it open. "You killed **them** , now I kill you." It said. It started to cut into her throat, but stopped. It gurgled, then screamed violently. The blade slipped from its grasp, and it leapt away from her, pressing its back to the sphere. She spun around to see what had happened.

The thing was on its knees, clutching at its face. It screamed again, clawing at its own eyes. "No! She **dies now**! I won't let you stop me! Fuck... **STOP IT**!" It gave one final howl, then disappeared, melding back into the sphere. The mass vibrated wildly for a moment, then collapsed in on itself, giving off a bright flash that overwhelmed her sight. She shielded her eyes, but by that time it was simply to avoid any permanent damage.

The vibrations and noises stopped almost simultaneously, and her sight slowly began to return to her. After the ringing pain in her head subsided, she looked up. _So... Yuri was in the sphere..._ At least, she assumed so... as he was lying unconscious on the ground where the sphere had once been suspended. She walked as quickly as she could to him. It wasn't until she was next to him that she realized he had changed from what Weiss had explained. From her estimation he seemed roughly six foot five. His hair was long and wavy, and it was splayed across his face and shoulders.

She stretched her hand toward his shoulder, then hesitated. _Wait... maybe I... no... I trust Yuri, I don't believe that thing that attacked me was him._ She pressed her hand to him, giving him a gentle nudge. He shifted slightly, then shot up. Blake jerked back slightly, then put her hand on his shoulder again. He looked quite distraught, even terrified. His breathing was heavy and uneven, and he seemed unaware of his surroundings, his head turning slowly as he took in the things around him. His eyes fell on Blake, then widened.

He looked at her for a moment. "What... happened to your face? You look like you got hit by a train." He said. He hand darted to cover her face. "It's nothing... I'm fine." She murmured. He blinked quickly, thoughts rushing into his mind with reckless abandon. _Wait a minute..._ "You... had a run-in with the clone, huh?" He asked. She averted his gaze as best as possible, but she knew she couldn't hide it. She nodded. He sighed, evidently quite upset. "I'm sorry, Blake... there's no... wait..." His voice trailed off. "The command I gave that clone was to do away with anyone that had any ill will towards me... were you coming here to hurt me?" He asked.

 _Oh no... I didn't realize that... was that thing mad at me because I tried to touch the sphere?_ "I... touched the sphere, but only because I didn't know what it was." She said. _I... don't know what it meant when it talked about "what I did to them" ... I don't even know who "they" are, so I won't tell him about it._ He looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "I suppose the fact that you tried to touch it made him a little antsy. Here, let me fix you up." He said.

He moved her hand from her face, then tilted her head slightly to the side, trying to see what exactly he was dealing with. He made a noise of disdain as his fingertips brushed lightly over her skin. She shuddered in slight pain. He shook his head, clicking his tongue between his teeth as he did. "Ugh... I'm really sorry he did that to you." He said. He pressed his fingers to the bruises on her cheek and brow. "Royalty Ignition: Heal."

She felt a burning sensation on the side of her head, not a painful one, it was... more akin to the heat from a warming pad for sore muscles. She felt her vision skew, and her neck loosened, causing her head to go limp to the side. She remained that way for a while, unable to get her neck to follow any commands she gave it. Eventually, her muscles contracted, and allowed her head some more voluntary movement. "There you go. Ugh... now... the only problem with healing you like that is...oh... they're already here." He said.

She turned, now aware of the noises in the forest. A single Beowolf stood at the treeline, watching them. She made a move to turn and grab her weapon, but Yuri pulled her back to him. "What are you doing?" She questioned. He didn't have a weapon, and although she knew he was proficient with his hands, she still felt safer with her weapon at her side. He stood, turning his front to the creature. "I've been... changed... it's hard to explain. Just... let me handle it, please." He asked.

She backed away from him. Despite being worried about him, she had no grounds to dismiss his request, so she slipped behind the tree that was currently covered in her blood. The Beowolf slowly crept towards Yuri, but he seemed uninterested in the beast. As it stepped closer and closer, he sat down with his legs crossed, then began speaking to it. "Easy there, darling... you and I can have a polite interaction today." He said. To Blake's surprise, its head raised in what seemed to be some sort of understanding.

By this time it was standing mere feet from him. It pointed its head down towards him, obviously pleased with his scent. He reached his hand up to its nose, running his fingers through its fur. "Hmm, your fur is softer than I imagined. Look at you... so peaceful, so beautiful... you're a good girl." He mused. The creatures eyes closed, and it made a sound akin to purring. _Is... he... getting along with the Grimm?_ He rubbed the creature's head softly. "See... you're not so bad, are you... you just don't understand... you don't know what our lives mean to us... but maybe you'll learn one day." He said.

The beast turned around, looking into the thick brush for the source of a sound. "Oh? What do you hear?" Yuri asked. Almost as if on cue, a young Beowulf peeked its head from the brush. It hopped out, then stalked along the ground over to Yuri as well. It looked at him, seemingly excited at meeting a different creature. "You must be her child... not to worry little one, I will not harm you." He promised. The young creature's arms stretched to Yuri's, tapping him lightly. It jerked back after their bodies touched, and Yuri laughed at its skittishness. After a moment, it leapt onto his lap, jumped in a small circle on his legs, then laid down on him.

He turned to Blake, who was marveling at the scene that had begun playing out before her, and waved her over. "You should learn about this. We have to extend our own understanding of others." He said, lifting the tiny creature into his arms. She sidled up next to him slowly, and he lifted the baby towards her. "Hold him." He commanded. She took the baby from him, and it wrapped its claws and arms around her midriff. It craned its necked to sniff her face, and once it had achieved its goal, it hopped from her arms.

He smiled as the creature returned to its mother, then lifted himself onto his feet. "Why aren't they aggressive?" She asked. He smiled. "Well... I'll tell you once we get back to the school, I'd prefer to tell everyone at once." He said. She nodded, and he turned back to the Grimm for a moment. "Good luck you two... be safe." He said. He took Blake by the hand, and pulled her along the path. "Aren't you worried? About the Grimm I mean?" She asked.

He thought about it for a moment, then smiled. "Our interaction with that young Beowolf... was likely the first time it had ever seen people... that's not something it will ever forget... when it meets a person again, it may not be aggressive towards them." He said. "Slowly but surely, if we try hard enough, we can change things, make life more peaceful. While I was in that sphere... my Faunus side told me... he told me that I was a hypocrite for loving only people, and that if I truly believed what I was saying, then I should try to save the Grimm as well." He said.

 _Wait... as in, the Faunus that tried to... kill me? It tried to murder me for a reason that may not even exist, and it wants_ s _ave them? I... doubt many people have ever even humored that thought, let alone attempted it. Hell... I promised I'd help him with his dream of peace didn't I? Well... I suppose I got quite a bit more interesting._ "So why exactly did you wait until early evening to come looking for me?" He asked her as they walked casually along the path. "Well... I told them that I knew where you'd be, but they wanted to check around the school first, just in case." She said. He nodded. "Fair enough, although, you were right, if I ever leave to do anything that doesn't involve my duties as a vigilante, I'll either be at the graves, or at the pond." He said.

She smiled. She had once worried when he walked through the door of the dorm about a week and a half ago that they wouldn't get along, or that he would begin to make life in the dorm more difficult, but now he just seemed like someone who had been there all along. "Well, its almost dusk, have you all eaten?" He asked. She nodded, before turning the question on its head. "Have you?" She asked. "Hmm, no... however... I'm not exactly hungry, so I suppose that I'll wait." He told her. They approached the small cliff east of the school, and they scaled it with little to no problem.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yuri sat on the floor with his back firmly against the wall. "So... Weiss has heard about this from my mother, and as I expected, had no knowledge of the topic." He sighed. "So... Royals. It's not an easy task to explain what exactly that is... but I'll do my best." He sighed again as the four girls looked on enthusiastically. "Humans and Faunus... are obviously ancient creatures... that much is known and widely accepted by the public, because it's true. Now... what most people don't know is how exactly people managed to survive when they didn't have weapons or Dust." He said.

He took a moment to stretch his legs, smiling as they popped, letting the tension pour from his muscles, as he **had** been cooped up in a sphere all day. "We all had one thing that the Grimm didn't. I'm sure I don't have to explain what that is." He said. Ruby perked up, her mouth taut with confusion. "But... Aura doesn't work like that, it's mainly defensive, and its other capabilities are primitive at best." She said. Yuri nodded, then stood up. "Very well... I suppose it would be simplest to show you. Royalty Ignition: Standard." He said loudly.

His body jerked into a perfectly upright position. A small black sphere now forming at his chest. "This is the Standard Ignition process for a Royal, we condense our Aura into our spines, and our bodies, which evolved differently, allocate the Aura to the area of our choosing." He said. "However, I'm a bit different, I'm... an Omni. Royal Ignition: Omni." He had barely finished his command when the black ball jumped to the top of his head. It burst out above his head, spreading to the tips of his head. After it seemingly rested, it began drifting upward, evaporating after a certain distance.

Weiss' eyes lit up as she saw the way his Aura was acting. "I get it. Royal... because your Aura looks like a crown." She said. "Indeed, right now my Aura is completely displaced from my body." He said. "Wait, that's not possible, you barely survived with 1% Aura back in town before, so how could you be fine with no Aura now?" She asked. He tilted his head. "Well if you don't believe me you could just check my stats on your Scroll. Also, for some reason, activating Royal state... changes us... destroys our dependence on our Aura. I've never known how it works... but it does." He said.

She did, pulling out her Scroll and checking his biometrics. "Holy... He's right. His Aura is at zero." She said. "Royal Ignition: Shutdown." He said. His Aura on the Scroll jumped back up to 95%. "Wow... that's... something." Weiss said. Yuri began panting. "I don't use it enough to warrant any kind of amazement... it's just a part of me... and I thought you all should be aware." He told them. He looked outside, then back to them. "I'll be back in an hour or so, I want to check on something. Then... I want to get a shower." He said. The girls gave him a wave goodbye, and moments later he disappeared.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yuri peeked inside the room, then, seeing that the girls were asleep, pulled a new set of clothes out of his bag. He turned down the hall, creeping as quietly as possible to avoid waking any of the other students. He turned into the washroom, checking to see if anyone was there, although considering the time, he doubted very much that anyone would be. He quickly threw his change of clothes on the counter, and stripped bare. He angled himself underneath the shower head so that the cold spray of the water would miss him. His body shook a bit in anticipation of the warm water against his skin.

He heard a soft sound behind him and immediately spun around. Nothing. _Oh, shit... calm down buddy... you're being paranoid._ His hand darted under the water jets, but the water was still quite chilly, so he stepped back again. Another noise, this one was undeniably a set of footsteps, one that he in fact recognized. He spun around for a second time. Nothing, but this time, he wasn't fooled. "You may as well come out, Yang. You should know better than to think you can hide from me." He laughed. It was indeed Yang, as she peeked her head around the dividing wall. "Alright... what do you want?" He asked.

 _Actually... I know exactly what she wants._


	10. Chapter 10 - Just Friends

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 10**

 _Alright, it's time for a forewarning, this chapter does in fact contain lemons. If this type of writing may possibly offend you, not to worry, I'll make sure to give ample warning beforehand. Other than that, you are responsible for reading the summary. Anyway, I hope you enjoy._

Yuri looked at Yang as she moved from behind the wall, and his eyes lit up as he saw what she was wearing... or rather what she wasn't. "Wow... just a towel? That's... hardly subtle... so I'm assuming that your here for my promise?" He asked. She nodded, pulling the towel tighter against herself. "Well... honestly, I was hoping that you may had backed down from that... so that we could actually get to know each other better before we did something like this." He admitted. She grinned and shook her head. "Nope... I'm not letting you get away this time." She said. Yuri's eyebrows raised, a sigh nearly escaping from his lips. "Very well... but I want you to tell me what you want again." He said.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Blake's eyes shot open, the room's emptiness overwhelming her. Despite her ability to see clearly during the night, the darkness seemed ever increasing. She shot up in her bed, her mind having difficulty remembering what had just been happening in her dreams. _Damn... I feel like it was important._ She lifted herself over the railing on the bed, then dropped to the floor below. _I need... fuck... right now I don't even know what I need._ _I want to stretch right now, though._ She opened the door as quietly as she could, then stepped out.

 _ **Wham!**_ A dizzying collision greeted her as she stepped out, and she did her best to stifle the scream that had escaped her lips. She shook her head, still dizzy from the pain. Looking up, she was rather surprised as to whom the unsuspecting mastermind behind her assault was. "Weiss!?" She whispered rather furiously. "Oh, shit, I'm sorry... I should have watched where I was going." Weiss said. They looked at each other, both slightly embarrassed at their mistake of not paying attention. "What are you doing up?" Weiss asked. "Well... I think I had a nightmare, and the room seemed so cramped, I had to get out." She said.

She looked at Weiss' head, which had started to bruise slightly. "So umm, what were you doing out here so late?" She asked. "Huh!? Oh... umm... well... oh. Fuck it! I was looking to see where Yuri and Yang went." She said. "Huh? They aren't in the room?" She asked. She turned and looked through the doorway. Sure enough, Yuri's typical spot near the door was vacant, as was Yang's bunk. "Odd... they're gone... together... alone... you don't think they're?" She began. "I... don't really know what I think." Weiss cut in. "Well... do... you still want to try and find them?" She asked. Weiss looked around the empty hallway, then sighed. "You already put **that** image in my head... so if we walk up on them doing something... it's your fault." She said.

"So... where should we start?" She asked. Weiss shrugged. "Well... I checked down in the Great Hall... but they weren't there... so I came back... I wasn't really sure if Yuri's even come back yet." She said. "But... since Yang is gone... I figure... maybe she waited outside for him, and then when they met up, she dragged him off somewhere for an... illicit rendezvous." She said the last phrase with a bit of what seemed to be embarrassment. A thought crept into the back of Blake's mind. "Are you... interested in him?" She asked. "It- it- ughh, he just seems so approachable... I don't think I have any kind of feelings for him... at least not that I can tell..." She said. Blake shrugged this time. "Oh well... lets look downstairs first."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

- **Lemon Starts Here** -

 _"Look, I injured you... and yes... I know... I fixed you up... but I feel as though I owe you something in return for the pain." Yuri said. "Well... I... honestly can't think of anything... well..." Yang said, her mind had peaked in a lewd manner but... "You can have whatever you want, as long as I'm capable of giving it to you." He said. "I promise... if you want it... you can have it." He said with a smile. She gave him a rather devious grin, then leaned in next to his ear. "Well... if I can have... anything I want... after that display... I want you to-"_

"Alright, alright, alright!" Yang giggled. "You don't have to remind me of what I asked for." She said. "Well... let's say that **I've** forgotten... and I need a reminder... mostly, this is just to see if you're serious." He laughed. "What... you didn't think I was being serious?" She asked. He shook his head. "No... you said that quite sincerely... but it's really easy to ask for something when it's a ways off... not so much so... when it's right in front of you." He said. He turned his naked body to her, and her eyes drifted down his form.

Her eyes lit up as they locked onto his groin. "Well... I'm... honestly pleasantly surprised with you. With... _that..._ and the fact that you're so calm even when such a pretty girl is all too impressive." She laughed. "Okay... two things... one... yes, it's kinda big... but it's only above average for my size. Two... you are not in any way... my first sexual encounter... or my second... or tenth... or fiftieth." He said, becoming slightly quieter with each word. "Oh... so you're a whore?" She giggled. "Oh stop! After what I'm about to do to you... you'll be thankful that I have the experience." He said.

She giggled again, this time with a bit more giddiness. "Will I now? I'm... actually looking forward to it." She said. He grinned as well. "Well... you won't be getting anything... at least not until you say." He said. Her arms tightened in frustration. "Ahh... I thought I'd maybe made you forget about that." She said. "Nope... now... say it." He demanded. She looked away, then sucked in a breath. "I... want you to fuck me... until I can't stand." She asked.

"Well... well... well... I think I can do that for you, beautiful." He said. "Oh... well... you're a virgin... so this gonna hurt for the first little bit of it. Also... would you rather me bend you over against the wall... under the water... or would you rather me sit you on the counter top?" He asked. "Well... what would be the difference?" She wondered. "Well, against the wall I'd be deeper inside of you... and on the counter, I'd be able to get to your more sensitive spots." He said. She shivered a little bit at the prospect. "They both sound... so... lewd." She said. Her face began burning with blush, and her hand slid through the gap in her towel.

It slipped off of her slowly, and it drifted to the floor, beginning to gather water from the running shower. She stepped over its drenched form and pressed herself against him, the tip of his member brushing against her thigh. "Wow... it's pretty warm. Ummmm... I feel so... odd asking this... but... can we do both?" She asked. He looked at her, then grinned. "Well... I suppose... although... I think we should start on the wall." He said, pointing to the space underneath the shower head. "If we do this there first, it'll help lubricate you... at least a bit... so it'll make it easier for you... you know... going in." He said.

She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him. "I really... really want this... so lets hurry." She begged. He nodded, lifting her into his arms. Their lips met, and they tilted their heads into each other's. "Mmm... Mmm... uh-uh, it's not enough. I... want you now!" She moaned. "Alright, up you go." He said, lifting the girl into the air. He slid her under the water, watching with glee as it ran in small rivers down her body. "You know... you really are gorgeous." He said.

"Oh... shut up and **fuck** me." She commanded. "Yes ma'am." He said. He spun her around and pushed her shoulders down a bit. Her backside angled upward, and Yuri ran his hands along her flesh. "Hey, stop ogling and start fucking!" She said. She looked down to his member. "Wow... is it..." She began. "Is it going to hurt?" She asked. "Both of us actually, so don't worry, I'll be suffering for a bit right along with you." He said. _Oh... I wonder how bad it'll be._ She pushed her arms behind her back, searching, then eventually wrapping her fingers around him.

She gave a sigh. "Alright, I'm ready. Umm... be gentle. At... at first at least." She said. Her earnest smile, coupled with her now quivering form, gave him a slight, but utterly inconsequential pause. He pushed himself into her core, then winced. "Oh... yeah... I... kinda forgot how painful this can be for me." He said. "How are you holding up?" He asked. She had her hand clamped over her mouth, and tears began streaming down her cheeks. "It... it really hurts... but... it's... making me want it more... I don't get it... but I like it." She moaned. "More... deeper." She pleaded.

 _She's lost it. But maybe so have I._ Yuri pushed deeper, their groins eventually greeting one another. "Owwww!" She said, giving Yuri a start. "You okay?" He asked. She calmed down after a moment, then nodded. "It stopped." She said. "It... actually... feels... pretty good..." She said. "Time for you to start the... more intense motions." She said with a grin. Yuri nodded and put his hands on her hips, starting a soft thrusting motion. Yang arched her head back, letting soft sounds escape her lips. _Well, it didn't hurt nearly as bad or as long as I expected... but hell, he's hitting all of my sensitive spots regardless of the position, he **feels** even bigger than he looks. But I guess my eyes aren't always perfect. I'll be honest... I only see this getting better._

\- **END OF LEMON** -

Weiss' ears perked up as a loud moan echoed into the hallway. They had just decided that wherever Yuri and Yang were, it wasn't at the school. "Hey... you heard that, right?" She asked. Blake nodded. "Yang... and from the sound... perhaps your hypothesis of an "illicit rendezvous" was truly on the mark." She said. They ran down the hall at speeds unimaginable, and came skidding to a halt outside of the shower room. Another moan. "Yep... that's Yang alright." Blake reaffirmed her previous statement. She began to enter the room, but Weiss pulled her back. "Wait! What are we planning here?" She asked in a hushed whisper.

Blake gave her a rather confused look, obviously waiting for Weiss to clarify. "We can go in there, but why? Be honest... if we catch them... you know... then we can either stop them, or we can just watch from a distance... do you really want to do either?" She asked. Blake gave a shrug. "I intend on finding out what happened, besides, they seem to have finished from what I can hear." She said, before walking in and pressing herself to the wall dividing the showers and the hallway.

She edged closer to the end, and once she decided she was close enough, pushed the very end of her face to around the wall. Yang sat stark nude on the counter top, her legs dangling over the edge. She pushed out a little further, trying to see more. Yuri, nude as well, was running his hands across his body, which was covered in lather. He stepped under the shower head, then turned to Yang. "How long were we at it?" He asked playfully. She rifled through his clothes and found his Scroll. "Umm... just under an hour. But... I'd say our time on the counter lasted twice as long as it did on the wall." She laughed.

He laughed as well, running his fingers through his soaked hair. "So... how did I do?" He asked. She tapped her finger against her chin, although it was obvious she wasn't doing any thinking. "Well... you know I don't have any experience... but that was **incredible**. I didn't know anything could make me feel that good." She giggled. "I'll admit that you were right. Your experience likely made a world of difference. So... when can we do it again?" She asked eagerly. "Well... how are your legs?" He asked with unabashed concern. "You did what I asked. My legs feel like jelly... I don't think I'll be walking until after I get some sleep." She grinned.

He walked over to her, and Blake pulled behind the wall a bit... moving back out slightly as he lifted Yang into his arms. "You want to wash, or do you feel okay?" He asked. "Oh and by the way, I'm ready whenever you are." He added. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Good... and, to be honest, I do feel a bit in need of a good scrub... but only if you're the one scrubbing." She laughed. Blake pulled away from the wall, then exited back out into the hallway. "Well... what happened?" Asked an unbelievably excited Weiss.

"Well... I think they had just finished when I walked in... they didn't see me... but they seemed really friendly with one another." She said. "Well... we should get back before they get out." She said. Blake nodded, and they darted silently down the hall, before closing the door to their room after they entered. Ruby shifted in her bed at the sound, but didn't seem to be any more awake than she had when they weren't there. Blake hopped into her bed, and Weiss did the same. "So... what do we do when they get back?" Weiss asked. "Well... we can only infer as to what they did... but even still... it's not like we have a say in what they do... neither of us have intimate relationships with either of them. If they want to... you know... then we can't stop them." Blake said.

Almost immediately after finishing her sentence, the door crept open. Yuri, still carrying a naked Yang, stepped in, then looked around. He walked over to Yang's bunk, then placed her calmly on the bed. "Can you stand up?" He asked. She shook her head, then pointed to her legs. "I'm pretty ruined for a while, honey." She giggled quietly. He shrugged. "Well... you did ask for it. Do you need my help getting dressed?" He laughed. "Please." She said. They spent the next ten or so minutes flirting... and doing their best to at least get Yang's underwear on... eventually, they succeeded.

Yuri gave a long yawn, which surprised Yang. "You're tired?" She asked. He nodded. "I wore me out as much as I wore **you** out." He said. She shifted herself over on the bed, then motioned to him. "Come on then, you've already ruined me, the least you can do is cuddle afterwards." She mused. He threw his hand over his mouth, attempting to contain his laughter. After he calmed down, he pulled his night clothes out of his bag, then threw them on. He sat on the edge of the bed, then grinned at Yang. "Y'know, I didn't see you as a "cuddling" kind of girl." He laughed. She leaned up and threw her arms around his neck, yanking him down to her. "I guess I'm full of surprises." She laughed.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ruby yawned as she shifted in her bed. Her head was filled with odd echoes, whose origins were unknown. She looked around, then nearly fell out of her bed as she looked at Yang's bunk. _Awwww... that's too cute, it's about time they really told each other how they felt._ She slid over the side of her bed and dropped to the floor with less grace than a girl her size should have, landing right on her backside. "Ow!" She said with a yelp. Yuri, who's head was resting on top of Yang's, jerked his eyes open. "Oh... good morning Ruby." He said with a smile.

She smiled back and waved, before jumping back on her feet. "Did you and Yang confess to one another last night?" She asked. Yuri, who had crawled deftly over Yang's sleeping form, nearly fell back in a fit of laughter. "Nope... not at all... but that's okay... I don't think that the feelings your sister and I have for each other can be considered "romantic", we just find one another attractive." He explained. "We... don't-" Yang reached up from her slumber and cupped her hand around Yuri's mouth. "Hush now... we don't give away every secret that we have... there's got to be some mystery." She laughed. "Good morning sis." Ruby greeted her.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Weiss leaned pressed her back to the library chair, watching as Yuri skimmed the mock history test that she had given him. Blake, who was sitting next to Yuri, was watching him closely. He picked up his pencil, and his hand began darting across the paper. Blake's eyes widened as she watched him answer all of the questions he was given. He stopped, leaned back, and tossed the pencil onto the table. "Done." He said. She took the paper and began to scan the results. "Ugh... why are you so smart? I thought you told me that this is the first school you've ever even been in." She said. He nodded. "Yep... I just... know things I guess." He shrugged.

She sighed. "You want to look over it too, just to be sure?" She offered the paper to Blake, who took it with apparent interest. Her eyes passed over each answer. "Wow... you're pretty incredible... I didn't even know some of these answers. Wait... Weiss... we're you trying to make him get these wrong?" She asked. "Well... may... yes." She said, her eyes averting Yuri's. He looked at her for a moment, then broke into a huge grin. "Don't worry about it... I don't mind... just tell me next time you put in questions that aren't part of the curriculum." He said.

She sighed, nodding her head. Sun peeked his head around a bookshelf, then made his way over to the table. "Hey guys... whoa... dude you look really different." He said to Yuri. Yuri stood up, his long hair flowing behind his back as he did. "Looks like I'm taller than you now, huh?" He noted. He was right, standing at six foot five, his height was among the tallest of the male students in the school. Sun laughed. "Jeez, you were so short just a few days ago, it's crazy to see you like this now." He laughed.

 **Wham!** "Ow..." Came a groan, followed by multiple voices laughing. Yuri's fists clenched, and his head lowered slightly. "I'll be back." He said. Blake knew exactly who was the cause of the commotion. "Be careful!" She called after him. Sun followed behind as they passed a few tables and bookshelves. About forty feet from their table, lay a smaller Faunus girl, and a group of young guys at a table. "Hey... what happened?" Yuri asked. The largest guy in the group, stood up, obviously confronting the angry Yuri. "Nothing... she's dumb, so she didn't watch where she was going... that's all." He told him.

Yuri looked to him, then to the girl. He knelt down by her, and offered her his hand. "Here, let's get you up." He said. She took his hand, and he pulled her to her feet. He leaned in to her side. "Did he do this to you?" He asked. She nodded, almost unnoticeably. He put his hand on her shoulder. "Leave... please, I can't stand your kind." He told her, giving her a wink that only her and Sun saw. She nodded, then retreated behind the bookshelf nearest them.

Yuri turned back to the group, whose leader was now smiling. "So... you don't like them either." He said. Yuri shook his head. "Well... if I'm being honest..." He began. He cocked his arm back, then launched himself forward, ramming his fist into the young man's stomach. "I think I despise you... much more than them." He said. The boy flew back and crashed into the table behind him. Yuri, now satisfied, turned away and began walking off. Sun turned and did the same.

"Wow dude, you weren't kidding." He said. Yuri nodded. "When I told you that I would fight to protect those who are innocent, I meant it. Only truly bad people are willing to use violence against others, regardless of whether they've wronged them or not." He said. "Is that really what you think? What about-" He began. "I am a horrible person... I enjoy seeing others in pain. Wait, no... I desire it. To be honest with you... I have for a long time... it wasn't until the other day, when I really had a chance to think, that I came to terms with that." He said.

Sun, surprised at Yuri's claim, was rather taken aback. "I may not know you that well... but that doesn't seem like you." He said. Yuri gave him a weak smile. "I'm sure one of the girls told you that I killed three people while protecting a family while I was out in the Menagerie." He said. Sun nodded, as Blake and Weiss had mentioned it while Yuri was gone. "Well... to me... the problem wasn't that I killed them... the problem... was that while it was happening, I enjoyed every second of it." He said. "Really... you honestly enjoyed it?" Sun asked. Yuri gave a nod. "There's something... irreplaceable, about the feeling of taking something as valued as another's life... it's a rush that even my loving side can't deny it feels." He explained.

"So... do you really hate everyone, then?" Sun asked. Yuri shook his head. "My mind is a strange dichotomy... I love people, they're wonderful... amazing creatures that are capable of so much... but something in me... adores crushing that wonderful thing into nothingness, to destroy the very flame that ignites life. I've struggled with these two sides of me for a long time." Yuri said. "Well... how have you not gone crazy, if they're so opposed to one another?" He asked. "Well... eventually I was able to reconcile those two parts of me, to get them to work together to help others." Yuri explained.

Sun thought for a moment, then found something strange in Yuri's explanation. "Wait... why exactly do you talk like they are separate from you?" He asked. Yuri smiled. "Despite how I may act... I'm the third personality. When my mother helped me the other day, what she saw wasn't another personality forming... what she witnessed was one of the lesser personalities gaining a foothold over the other." He explained. "But Weiss said-" "But Weiss told you that I retreated back into the forest to merge personalities... right? Wrong... what I did in the forest is repress the personality back to its original state." He explained further.

Sun laughed. "So, basically you told the personality to fuck off, because you're the one in charge?" He asked. Yuri laughed as well, then nodded. "That's a pretty good way of putting it." He said. "Oh... by the way... I want to see how you react to this little nugget of news." Yuri said. "I uh... I had sex with Yang last night." He whispered. If Sun's jaw dropped any lower, it would have dislocated. "Are you fucking serious?" He said, with no lack of enthusiasm. Yuri nodded. "So... are you two like, dating now?" He asked. Yuri gave him a rather happy look. "Not at all, we decided to keep our relationship entirely sexual... in her words, which I agree with completely: 'we don't need to date, to fuck.'" He said.

"Oh... I guess if both of you are alright with it... then there's no reason you can't do that." Sun mused. "Yep... oh... I almost forgot... I need help... from you and Blake." He said. "Come to the forest tonight. I'll probably bring Blake with me, seeing as how we live in the same dorm, so just try to be there around seven." He told him. "Okay... but why the two of us, specifically?" He asked. "Well... this is something that only Faunus like us can do." Yuri said as he began walking away. "Oh... I guess that makes a lot of... WAIT YOU'RE A-" "Seven P.M. Don't forget." Yuri said, drowning out Sun's voice.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Whaaaa- Really, you two aren't together?" Weiss asked Yang as the blonde girl toyed with her uniform's bowstrings. "Nope... why, what makes you think that we are?" She asked. "Uh... well... you two... weren't exactly quiet last night, you know." Weiss said sternly. "She's right, we heard the two of you going at it from the staircase at the other end of the hall." Blake said, without looking up from her book. "Oh... well... no, we mutually agreed that while we desired a sexual relationship, we wanted to stay friends." She told them. "That's an odd way to treat each other... but I guess **I** can't complain if you're satisfied with it." Weiss said.

"Yeah, I don't really mind it... but just so you know... it means you two aren't safe." She said with a grin. "What do you mean?" Weiss said. "Oh... you'll find out." She said. Yuri appeared from behind a bookshelf. "Hey, Blake, can I talk to you for a second?" He asked. Blake nodded, then stood from her chair, book still in hand. They walked away from the table, and Yang began musing about the coming months. "Things are going to get so fun." She said. "Why, are you planning to have sex with Yuri every other day?" Weiss asked. Yang waved her hand in front of her face. "Oh, hell no. I think I'd die of exhaustion. I mean, last night Yuri did all the work and I was still worn out after we finished." She said.

"So... what..." Weiss started. "What was it like?" Yang said, finishing what she thought was an obvious question. Weiss nodded, eager to hear about the experience. "Well... to be honest... I don't know if he was particularly any good at it... last night being my first and all... but it definitely looked like he knew what he was doing... and it felt like it too... all in all... I really enjoyed it." She said. Weiss sighed. _That doesn't tell me much, honestly._ Blake returned to the table and sat down in her original seat, still enraptured with her book. "I'll be leaving to do something with Yuri at around seven." She told them. "Have fun with him, I guess." Yang said with a rather happy smile.

 _I wonder if he's planning on having "fun" with her too._


	11. Chapter 11 - In Need of Assistance

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 11**

Blake scanned the treeline, Yuri leaning against the tree next to her. "Oh... there he is." She whispered. "Ahh... about time." He chuckled. Sun jumped over the small ridge, landing just a feet from them. "Took you long enough." Yuri commented with a smirk. "Sorry, man, I had to get away from Neptune, but he wouldn't stop asking me where I was going." He said. Yuri shrugged, turning to the deeper parts of the forest. He seemed eager to get down to business, something that Blake noticed. "Well, since we're all here, let's get moving." Blake said. "Yeah... this is important."

They moved quickly through the forest, small packs of Grimm avoiding them as they did. Yuri rifled through one of his bags, pulling out four small spheres similar to the one Blake had found on the dresser with his mask. "What are those for?" Blake asked. "These? These are for them... one last time." He said. _Them?_ She shrugged off any questions she had and kept moving. Eventually they arrived at the grave site they had visited plenty of times before. Yuri brought the three of them to a halt. "Fortunately for you two, you'll get to see what these do rather soon." He told them.

He walked to each of the graves, running his hand along the smooth stones. He placed a sphere on each one, saying the name of the person the grave belonged to as he did. "Mint, Jonah, Aria, Kaia. I need the counsel one last time... as such... I offer my Aura, for one final commune." He called. His hands brushed the spheres, and each began to light with a different color. "Rise... my Royal... brothers and sisters." Blake wasn't exactly sure what she was expecting to happen, but it wasn't what did. In a single, blinding flash of light, the spheres dissipated into the stones, and they erupted in a iridescence that she'd never experienced.

She and Sun watched in awe as the lights twisted into multitudes of shapes. Eventually, however, the shapes subsided, and they were left with a form that was undeniably human, although featureless. The four lights looked around, seemingly confused as to where they were, and why they were there. Once they saw Yuri, however, they seemed much more understanding. One of them spoke. "Oh... Yuri... I never expected that we'd have the pleasure of seeing you again." The female voice echoed. "Hello, Aria, it's been a while hasn't it, you four?"

The four lights turned their attentions to him, and they began discussing things separate from what Yuri had likely intended. "How long has it been... you look so different from what I remember." One light asked with a male voice. "Well... it's been about two and a half years." He said. "Ohhhh..." They all murmured. "Well... I don't remember you being this attractive." Another female voice said. "Of course you don't Kaia, you grew up with me. You saw me at my best, as well as my worst. So you weren't so illusioned with me." He laughed. "Alright, alright, you three... he's called us here... time to do what we promised." A third female voice ordered.

The four lights dropped to their knees, and they clasped their hands together. "Once again, Leader, you have brought us to your side. What is your final desire of us?" They asked. He laughed. "Holy hell... it's been so long since I've heard that greeting... very well... like me... the four of you are Royals... our blood and bones vital to the existence we vowed to protect. I am an Omni, the last of my kind... but you four were special... even if you weren't as diverse in power as me." He said. The male voice jumped in. "Oh... so you're actually going to ask us for them, even though you swore to us that you'd never need them?" He asked.

Yuri nodded. "I lost you four to him, now I have a chance to make this right, to fix the problems he's caused." He told them. "Very well, although, it wasn't necessary for you to ask us, they were yours by right." One girl said. "I know that, but I gave these to you, so I feel it only right to ask for them back." He said. "Very well then... you know this was the only time we could see each other again, right?" Another asked. One of them laughed. "For such a silly reason... oh well, I guess this is-" "No!" Yuri interrupted. "This is not goodbye... we already said our farewells, almost three years ago... that one time was enough." Yuri said. "Well... you know what to do..." They said. They disappeared in a bright flash, returning their spheres to the tops of the stones.

"What was that?" Blake asked. "It was our last promise, to see each other one last time, even if everything went awry." Yuri said. He took the metal spheres from the stones, taking a long look at them. Eventually, he tilted his head back, and dropped them into his mouth. He struggled to swallow them all, but choked them down after a few seconds. "What was that for?" Sun asked. He smiled. "It's the last remnants of their Aura... I swallowed it to metabolize it." He said. "Now... the three of us have a matter to discuss." He said. He dropped onto his backside, crossing his legs after he landed. His hands jumped straight to his bag, and he removed his Scroll. As he tapped the screen vigorously, he waved over Blake and Sun with his free hand.

They moved to him, and watched as a multitude of charts and graphs fought for a place on his screen. "Recently... I've been noticing something very worrying recently. They... seem more lively than ever at this point." He said. "Umm, who?" Sun asked. He sighed, apparently finding the graph he was looking for. "The White Fang... their communications have been going nuts for the past few weeks. I think they're planning something." He said. "The... White... Fang?" Blake asked. "Yeah... I brought you two here to ask for your help... you don't have to answer me yet, we won't need to make our move for a few weeks." He told them.

"What do we need to do?" Sun asked. "Well... one of their little underground meeting places seems to be a mainstay of their influence in the city. I just need to find out **if** something really is going down." He said. "Alright, I'm in. I don't like the White Fang anyway." Sun said. "Yeah... me too, I told you I'd help you, I meant it." Blake smiled. "Thanks you two... I'll keep the two of you updated, but only in person, the White Fang like to follow me around sometimes." He said. "I'll send the two of you notices to meet out here once I'm sure of what exactly I'm looking at. That's all... we can head back now." He said.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You look pretty happy." Ruby said, as Yuri and Blake returned to the dorm. "Yep, I got something underway that's really necessary." He replied. "Don't worry though... it's not going to impede anything to do with the school." He began. "Moreover, I have a request for the four of you." He said. "Well, come on... spit it out already!" Ruby demanded. Yuri grinned. "Uhh, I'm going to see my family for the first time in seven years, and I'd like you all come to with me." He said. "What... you're being serious?" Yang asked. "Yeah, why not? You girls are my team starting this Monday, that makes you family. So I think... it's important that both of you meet."

The now beaming girls were full of questions. But Yuri redirected them before they even muttered a syllable. "Weiss knows more about my family at this point than I do. So if you want to know about them, ask her." He said. "Hey! Don't just thrust all of the questions on me!" Weiss complained. "Sorry, but seven years without seeing them has made them a mystery to me." He said. "Yeah... but still..." She started. "Enough... it's obvious to me that he isn't comfortable talking about them." Blake cut in.

"Yeah... sorry." She said. "Alright everyone, I'll tell you about his family, so if you have questions, just ask." She said. Yuri opened the door. "You aren't staying?" Blake asked. "No... I neglected them for so long... it's my responsibility to meet them and learn about them myself." He said, closing the door behind them. _Alright, I've occupied them for now, next up is..._ He did a quick double-take, ensuring that no one was following or watching him. "Good, I'm alone. Now... let's give him a call." Yuri said.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Wha-... You're being serious... aren't you?" Sun asked. "Yeah... I was thinking, considering that you're a Faunus, and you two seem friendly... maybe... she confided in you." Yuri said. "That's... pretty blunt of you to ask, don't you think?" He complained. "I do... even still, I want you to answer me... and I'm not really wanting to use my Powers." He said. Sun put his hands up defensively. "Alright, alright, I get it... Yes... she told me she used to be in the White Fang." He said. "Why did you want to know?" He asked. "Well... my friends were killed by the orders of a certain White Fang... I think he's behind the increased activity." Yuri explained.

Sun nodded. "So... what are you gonna do about Blake? I mean... you aren't planning on some kind of revenge against her, right?" He asked worriedly. "Oh... no. I was just wondering, I had a certain feeling on the matter, I just used you to confirm it. Please... my intentions with Blake are as a teammate and a friend." He said. "Besides, she gave all that up, right? She's here now, doing something with purpose... in the end, that's all we can really ask from people." Yuri mused. "Yeah... I guess she did. Well... if that's it... I'm out, I need some sleep. Goodnight." Sun said, giving a wave and turning back to the school. "Yeah... night."

Yuri dropped to the ground, his tired body giving little complaint as he slipped onto his side, the grass running peacefully against his fingers. _It seems like everything in the world could slip away like this... but I can't let that happen, I need to stay the course._ He stretched himself out across the ground, closing his eyes as he did. He stayed motionless for a few moments, but was interrupted by familiar footsteps. He kept his eyes closed, and soon a soft hand brush his cheek. "Hey... couldn't stand to be without me?" He grinned. "I want it." Came the reply. He opened one eye, knowing full well that Yang was the one making the demands.

"Really? You couldn't wait fifteen minutes for me to come inside?" He laughed. "Well, I'm sorry for having a teenagers libido. Now, get up... we're doing this." She said. He hopped to his feet. "Outside? Well aren't you a little exhibitionist? You know it's not as alluring if we do this in the dark." He said. "Oh... then... what **exactly** did you have in mind then, lover?" She asked. "Well... depends, are you looking to go as long as we did last night, or are you a bit more pressed for time?" He questioned. "Oooohhh, definitely want what we had last night." She grinned. "Well then... how about we get up early tomorrow, and we do it on the Dining Hall table before everyone else comes in?" He said. She looked at him in astonishment. "I'm so unbelievably glad that you were my first, that sounds incredibly exciting." She said.

He swept his arm against the backs of her legs and lifted her up against him. "Oh... no complaints about me carrying you?" He laughed. "Well, last time you lifted me like this was in the bathroom, onto the counter, and we both know how amazingly that went." She giggled. "Don't get too excited, we're just going back to the dorm." He said, as he began walking back into the building. "Are you sleeping with me again tonight?" She asked. "Sure, why not? But no fooling around, I'm already excited about tomorrow morning." He warned. She tried to nod, but ended up burying her head into his chest.

He continued to carry her all the way back to the dorm. Then set her down as they reached the door. He reached out to the handle, but was interrupted by Yang grabbing his wrist. "Hey!" She giggled. She spun him to her and threw her arms around his neck, pulling his mouth down to hers. They stayed motionless for a few moments, exploring each others mouths with exaggerated interest, until finally, he pulled away. "Come on, let's get to bed. Tomorrow's gonna one hell of a day." He said.

 _And right now, I have you to thank for keeping it interesting... thanks, Beautiful._


	12. Chapter 12 - Torture and Deviation

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 12**

"I... I seriously... I literally can't... you two really did that... in here... wow... you are so lucky that it was **me** who walked in." Weiss scolded the giggling pair on the other side of the table. Yuri shrugged indifferently as Yang squeezed him against her. "We wanted to be spontaneous, if you want to get mad at someone... get mad at me... I'm the one who suggested it." He laughed. Weiss grunted haughtily. "You need to learn an... ounce of self respect." She said. His eyes darkened, and Weiss knew almost instantly that she had pushed a button. "I... have no respect for someone who can't protect those close to them..." He said.

Weiss immediately pulled back, her intuition had told her the comment would be offensive... but she just **had** to give him a response. He stood, pushing Yang off of him. "See you girls." He said, and began walking away. "Wait... Yu-" He put his hand up to stop her, then disappeared in a crowd of students looking for seats. Blake cringed, and Yang stared angrily at Weiss. "Didn't exactly think that comment through... did you?" Ruby asked. "Well... ah shit... okay I fucked up... how do I fix it?" She asked. "You apologize, obviously." Blake said.

Weiss looked at her for a second. "But I tried to-" "You tried to save your own ass, since you said something rude, and you didn't want to feel guilty." Blake said. The harshness of her voice carried more weight than the words, and Weiss noticed. "Hey... it's not like he's your boyfriend or anything... so why do you care?" She said. Blake burst into a deep blush. "He's my friend! I'm allowed to care about him!" She shouted back. "Ohhhhhh, really? You think we don't hear you talking in your sleep? 'Ohhhh... I just wish Yuri would kiss me again... why is Yang so lucky?' You think **I** don't hear that?" She scoffed.

Blake, now fuming... stood up, and leaned in close to Weiss. "Sorry, I don't think that who **I** find attractive or pursue romantically is any of your business!" She screamed. "Well, maybe it's not... but how do you think Yang feels?" Weiss asked. "I don't care, honestly. If he wants to do what he did to me to both of you, I don't have any complaints." Yang said. Weiss' mouth nearly hit the table, not to mention Blake, who had nearly fallen from her chair in surprise. "You... don't care? I thought you two were-" "I told you yesterday, Yuri and I like having sex with each other. **That's it.** I don't care if either of you decide you want him as your boyfriend."

Both Blake and Weiss' eyes widened in shock, as both had been all but certain that Yuri and Yang would become a couple after their... illicit encounters. Yang perked up for a moment, turning to Weiss. She pulled a small slip of paper from her jacket, then tossed it to her. "When you go apologize, give this to him, please." She said with a smile. Weiss took it then nodded. "Umm, sorry... Blake... for being so heated. I got a little angry... it clouded my judgment." She said. "Apology accepted, now... go use those linguistic skills to show Yuri how sorry you really are." She said. Weiss nodded, then got up from the table. She pushed her chair in slowly before she realized that Yuri wasn't the only one absent. "Hey... where's Ruby?"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ruby giggled as Yuri played with the young Grimm that had approached them, lifting it over his head, and play-hunting with it. "I... didn't realize that they were so... amicable." She said. "Well... it depends on how people first interact with them... when people see the Grimm, they think of heartless animals... but the truth is they are born and grow just like we do... we just only notice when they attack us." He said. She smiled. "Nothing can be all bad to you... can it?" She said. He shook his head. "Deliberate abuse of others is a true evil in this world... when someone can smile and continue living life when they know others are suffering, that's a true evil in this world." He said.

He smiled to her. "As a huntress, you carry the slaughter of thousands of creatures... not that I blame people for that. I believe that it was a mutual desire to destroy one another, rather than doing something tedious like taking time to understand our differences. But... I still think that can be turned around." He said. "You want to what? Tame the Grimm?" Ruby asked. He gave a sort of half nod. "I don't know if we can tame them... per se... but I do believe that we could eventually cohabitate... maybe... if we can help people learn to think with their heads, and not their fears." He said.

He turned away from her, facing the treeline near them. "You know... there's so much suffering in this world... but people seem to be blind to it... we've been devouring a beautiful landscape for so long... and we've ignored the plights of our world. But no one seems to care... what will we do... when this world can no longer sustain us?" He asked. She looked a bit taken aback. "Well... I don't think I've ever... considered that." She said.

"Of course you haven't... because this world will still be completely fine long after you die... but I still think it's important to prepare those who will succeed us to help keep this world healthy for eternity. All it takes is one generation to be concerned about a problem before it exists, for that problem to be solved." He said. "Wow... you really care about this world, don't you?" She asked. "Not at all... this world is filled with evil, and even I don't escape it... I love destruction... the very notion of it makes my heart sing with glee... but that's only one half of me." He said.

"So what? The other loves kittens and rainbows and candy?" Ruby laughed. "More like... one side likes death and destruction, and the other likes to subjugate and control." He said. "So no part of you is good?" She asked. "Well... it's not that simple... the me that you know, that the girls know... this me... isn't the true me... it's more of a... personality-less me." He said. "I force down my desires... made them weak in comparison to my nothingness. I am a facade... a fake... I lie to everyone... even to myself." He admitted.

"Doesn't that bother you though? You know... hiding who you really are?" She asked. "Well... it did at first... I realized how dangerous the real me was when I was younger... and I thrust it away... then I realized that the more repressed I became... the more depraved I acted. It was as though my heart was telling me "If I can't destroy anyone, I'll just make them miserable". I was a regular anti-hero, using my looks and my mouth to get what I wanted during the day, all the while protecting the very people I was screwing over during the night... one day I finally decided that I wanted to live apart from my desires... so I cleared my mind and did nothing but put myself down for a month straight... eventually, the man you see before you emerged." He said. "When Weiss said what she did in the Dining Hall, it didn't hurt my feelings... it just reminded that there was nothing about me that I should respect. Although... I did want to punch her for being rude."

Ruby giggled. "I don't think that's true at all." She started. "Even if it isn't who you are, you're kind, well-spoken, intelligent, and hardworking, not to mention that you give my sister a run for her money... just look at how happy you make her. In my honest opinion, you deserve a lot of respect, considering just how much of yourself you have to put up with... also... any man who can make my sister that happy... can't be bad." She said. He scoffed. "My mother... knew what I was like... she knew how I hated, knew how much I wanted to destroy, but she didn't scold me for it... I think... the freedom she gave me... helped me fight my desires." He said.

"You still want us to go with you to meet them next week... right?" Ruby asked. He nodded, then smiled at the change from what was obviously an uncomfortable topic. "Of course... you girls are my new family... I think it's important that you meet my parents and siblings, especially considering that we'll likely be sent on missions together once we graduate." He said. "So... you do intend on staying?" She asked. "Do you think I'd have stayed this long if I didn't have **some** intention to stay with you girls?" He asked. "Well... I guess you have a point... eh, I think we're done here aren't we?" She said.

He nodded. "We're done Boss, now if you'll excuse me... I have to find an incredibly roundabout way of teaching our little Ice Princess that she doesn't get to tread on people..." He paused, then shuddered for a moment. Ruby laughed as his eyes changed from their typical yellow to a light blue. "WOW it's been a while since I've been in charge. Hey, kid, you don't mind if I torture Snow Girl's mind for a little bit, do ya?" He asked. His tone had changed completely, as well as the way he carried himself. He had slumped, obviously uninterested in the goings on around him. Ruby shook her head. "Do what you have to." She said. "Thanks, Cap'n, oh by the way... if you see her on the way back, tell her to use her Scroll, since she still has my data... well, later!" He said, before turning and rushing into the forest, with the young Grimm still in his arms.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Weiss' head shot in a multitude of directions as she walked along the path of overgrowth that Ruby had directed her to. She was nervous... and even her immense pride wasn't enough to keep it from showing. _Why is he here?_ She barely had a moment to collect herself before she caught a glimpse of him. He was watching silently in a tree a bit less than a hundred meters from her. She blinked, and he was gone without a sound. _Wait what? Where the hell did he go?_ She felt a breath down the back of her neck and spun around. Nothing. _This is ridiculous... is he screwing with me?_ Her eyes darted around her surroundings, but she found nothing.

She nearly screamed when she felt fingers brush against her face. Her breathing had become even heavier than she realized. _It's okay... it's okay... calm down dammit. What... what's that noise?_ She jerked her head to the left, searching for the soft, scratching sound that had begun ringing in her ears. _Okay... I need to get away from this._ She began running... she didn't know where she was going, but she just wanted to get away. Despite her efforts, the noise began to grow louder. She threw her hands over her ears, trying to make the sound stop. It didn't help in the least, it in fact grew louder.

The grinding, screeching sound forced her to a halt, and she fell to her knees. She writhed there for a moment, trying her hardest ignore the sounds. They stopped, they didn't fade out... she didn't figure out how to ignore them... they just stopped, no echo, no ringing in her ears. Then... came a booming voice, that nearly threw her into insanity. "DO YOU FEEL IT? THE FEAR... OF BEING ALONE?" She searched endlessly for the source, but was again greeted with a normal forest.

The voice spoke once again. "You think you'll be anything, eh? You think that you'll take over the company and everything will be just fine right? HA! What wishful thinking... you'll be a failure as a Huntress, a failure in business... and most of all... you're already a failure as a woman." The voice taunted. Weiss felt her mind fray... she couldn't think... she couldn't focus. _Why... why is this getting to me... is it even real?_ She finally got back to her. Then she saw it. _Yuri._ But it wasn't Yuri, this... thing... couldn't be Yuri.

It was completely gray, and was almost lifeless in comparison. Its twisted form shuddered and contorted as it spoke. "You... whores... thought you could take him from me? Slut... you have no chance with him... even if I let you play your little games... Blake will win every time." It cackled. Weiss screamed. _I can't take it... I want to die... I don't know why... it's in my head... and I want to die..._ She dropped to the ground once more. "What's wrong? You giving up, coward? Just what I expected... but don't worry... I'll make this quick." It jeered.

It shambled towards her, muttering about loose ends under its breath. It slipped something out from behind its back. _It has Yuri's jitte._ It popped off the bladed end, brandishing it towards her. _I really am... going to die here..._ "Stop..." The figure growled, before backing away. Weiss struggled to stand, but eventually succeeded. The thing was writhing, seemingly trying to escape the grasp of an unknown entity. "Stop it... stop it... you aren't in control... no... it's me it's me it's me. You won't win... she dies now... no... no..." Its head jerked up to her. "You... you die now!" It shrieked. It lunged towards her, she shut her eyes. The sound of blade breaking skin rang in her ears.

She stood deathly still for a moment, then opened her eyes. "Yu-yu-Yuri?" She stammered. This one was the real one, and now she knew where the sounds of someone being stabbed had come from. His jitte's blade deep in his stomach, left hand on its hilt, and his right hand on her head. "Oh... good... you woke up... you doing okay?" He asked. She looked at him worriedly. "Uhh... uhh... yeah... wh... what about you?" She asked. He looked down. "Oh... yeah... this uhh... one of my worse sides was in control... and the one thing it fears is pain... so I knew if... I did this... it would let go of you." He said.

She felt drained, empty, exhausted. She looked at him, then frowned. "That... scared the shit out of me... I thought I was going to die." He looked at her for a moment. "You **were** going to die... we just got lucky this time. Next time... well, hopefully I can keep you safe... so there won't be a next time." He said. "Yuri... I'm sorry-" "Stop." He said. "What... are... you not going to forgive me?" She said. He smiled, but refused to respond. He turned away for a moment, pulled the blade from his stomach, then waved her deeper into the forest. "Come... I need to see to my wound." He told her. She nodded. _Is... he going to forgive me or not? I really can't afford for him to hate me... * if * I have any intentions of being with him... and for now..._ ** _I do._**

They walked slowly, Yuri's body slowly draining of blood. He had an obvious favor for his right leg. "Is your left leg okay?" She asked. He nodded. "Yeah, I scuffed it a bit when I came down to get you." He said. She leaned back slightly, trying to get a better look. "Oh my god... it looks like something bit you, that seems pretty nasty." She said. "It's alright... both wounds will heal fine... just wait until we get to the spring." He said.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So... what are you going to do, Blake?" Yang asked. "Umm... what do you mean?" Blake countered. "Well... your reaction when I told you that I had no interest in dating Yuri wasn't very subtle... it's pretty obvious that you like him... are you sure you're okay with Weiss getting one up on you like this?" She asked. "I don't see how this is getting one up on me, I mean, she's apologizing for being rude, so doesn't that mean that she's technically one **down** already?" Blake asked.

Yang pondered for a second, then grinned. "So... you don't see them... like, you know... getting caught up in the heat of the moment, right after she gives him a heartfelt apology... and them... maybe... getting a little... **closer**... than they are right now?" Yang asked. Blake's mouth hung open for a second. "I... hadn't considered that possibility... but now that you say something about it... that does make sense." She said. "But... I think... Yuri trusts me... and right now it's way to early for either of us to really make a permanent claim towards him." She said.

Yang shrugged, then nodded in agreement. "True, but the heart of a man like Yuri is steadfast, and he develops opinions quickly... if you don't make **any** sort of move, period... maybe he'll mistake it for your lack of interest." Yang warned. Again, another claim that Blake hadn't considered. "Wait... you didn't just expect Yuri to fall in your lap on his own, did you?" Yang asked. Blake didn't answer, but the blush on her face gave enough of a response. "Oh, hell... well it's not my business what goes on between you three, and it's not my job to pick sides." She grinned.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Weiss stammered a bit after a nude Yuri commanded her to step into the small spring with him. The smile on his face was playful... flirty even, and saw this as the best chance to get closer. _Ha! Win this time Blake._ She forced him to turn away, then took a few minutes to strip bare. When she was certain he was still looking the other way, she slipped into the spring next to him. "I'm in." She said. "I heard... now I need you in front of me." He said. The strange comment embarrassed her, slightly, but she eventually drifted through the dark water to him. "Why is the water... black?" She asked. "Because I use this spring quite often, and over time, it's become tainted with my Aura." He explained.

He put his hands on her shoulders. "I hope you don't mind me using a bit of your Aura, I used up most of mine fighting off the other me." He said. She shook her head. "It's... all yours." She said. His hands, which he moved down to her waist, began drifting up her back. "I need to find out where your Aura condenses." He said. "What do you do after you find it?" She asked. She wasn't sure what he meant when he said condense, but she knew that when it came to Aura, he was likely second to none in terms of knowledge. "Well, I extract it... with my tongue..." He said. "So let's hope for your sake, that your Aura doesn't condense anywhere lewd." He laughed.

His hands stopped at the base of her neck. "Here it is... I'll get started if you don't mind." He said. She nodded, and his mouth closed in. She could hear his breathing, heavy and wavering. _Is he... nervous?_ His tongue flicked along her skin a few times, making her shudder nervously. After a few moments, he clamped his lips down on her. She gasped. "Hey... warn me before you do that!" She said. His response was muffled, and the movements from his mouth sent chills running through her. He continued his work diligently, then after a moment, bit down slightly. The moment Weiss realized that the moan she heard following was in fact her own, she nearly tried to drown herself from embarrassment.

Yuri pulled away and looked at her, smug as ever. "So... you're a deviant." He said. She took a swing at him, but he ducked underneath as though she were a child. "Shut up... what's wrong with me liking something... even if it... is that?" She said. He shrugged. "Nothing... nothing at all... in fact... now that I know... you're actually even cuter than before." He grinned. _His stupid fucking compliments... they fry my brain... oh well... at least he doesn't think I'm weird._ "Hey... we have classes tomorrow, right?" He asked. She nodded. "Oh... that's right... this is your first time in a classroom." She noted. "Yep... hopefully I don't screw it up." He smiled. "I think you'll do just fine."

 _I mean, what's the worst that can happen on the first day of classes?_


	13. Chapter 13 - A Gift of Hope

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 13**

"Yuri... you aren't even dressed! Class is in thirty minutes!" Ruby called to the quiet young man sitting in the corner of the room. His head tilted up to her. "My uniform doesn't fit... I need to figure out what to do with it." He commented. "You should just give it to Professor Goodwitch. She can get it remade." Yang said, straightening the bow on the her uniform. "I'm aware of that... but it's not exactly simple to explain growing almost eight inches in less than a few weeks, is it?" He laughed. "He has a point... most people grow a few centimeters in a year... not almost a foot in a month... not to mention... his face has changed quite a bit. That doesn't just happen out of the blue." Blake noted.

"I already spoke to her... give it to me, Yuri... I'll bring it to her while you four head to class." Weiss said. Yuri tossed her the over-shirt and pants. "So it's fine for me to just wear my cloak and other things?" He asked. "Just until she gets them re-sized." Weiss explained. He nodded, then stood up, making his way across the room and opening the window. "Alright... let me go wash up... I'll meet up with you girls in a bit." He said, before hoisting himself over the sill. He disappeared over the side. "Can he not use a door?" Weiss sighed. "You should be used to that by now." Ruby laughed.

Blake gave a short huff outside of the classroom. _Meet up with you in a bit, my ass. He's only on time if it's something important to him. Ah well... he won't be too late, probab- oh, there he is._ Yuri rounded the corner of the hall, clad in his still-tattered brown cloak. She smiled and waved to him, as she wasn't sure if he knew which class to go to. He waved back, then shortly after was standing next to her. "Let's go... it's the first time I've ever been in a classroom... I'd hate to start off with a screw up." He laughed.

They walked slowly into the class. "Ah... there they are, Ms. Belladonna, and Mr...?" The Professor began. Yuri lowered his hood, his hair flowing wildly over his shoulders. "Yuri Kallen." He said. "Ah... excellent... you are the young man that the Headmaster brought in, despite your lack of training." He said. "Yes, sir." Yuri nodded. "Well... you and Ms. Belladonna can have a seat next to one another, oh... I'm Professor Port, by the way." He said. Yuri nodded. The two climbed the short steps to their desks in the back of the classroom.

Port began his ramblings about how to deal with certain types of Grimm, stopping at what seemed like every pause to explain his personal encounters with each of them. Yuri found it quite annoying, and wondered just how much time the man was wasting with each tangent. Eventually he came to a pause, then raised his gaze to Yuri. "Yuri... I like to begin each school year reminding the students exactly what they're up against when it comes to the Grimm. So... would you be so kind as to show us all here, exactly why you were chosen?"

Yuri stood, running his hands over his face, then untied his cloak. As it dropped to the ground, Weiss nearly choked as she saw what he had on underneath. _Isn't that... what he wore when we went to dinner?_ He jumped down the staircase, pivoting his body to land facing the far wall. "They're over there... right, professor?" He asked, motioning to the cages on the far wall. "Ursa... three of them..." He pushed his nose upwards. "Two mature... one adolescent." He continued. "Very good... now... how well do you fight them?" Port asked.

He pressed a small button on a panel next to the cages, and each door slowly opened. Almost immediately, one of the large creatures lunged out. As its black form charged at Yuri, he unsheathed his jitte. His left hand wrapped around the hilt, then with what seemed like no motion, he caught the monster underneath its chin with the tip, pressing his foot against its skull. "Do me a favor... die." He laughed, spinning once and slamming the tip of the jitte on its face, cracking the white skull.

"One." He said. The others came came bursting from their cages, but Yuri seemed less than concerned with them. He popped the blade from the rod, then let the rod fall to the ground. He took one step, then disappeared. Port looked quite amused at the young man's abilities. _It's been a while since someone so... naturally strong came to this school... we have many wonderful up-and-coming warriors... but this boy... is special... that's why I trust your judgment, Ozpin... it just seems like you always get it right._

Yuri pivoted himself, turning horizontally. His blade stripping into the flesh of the closest Ursa. His foot caught the neck of the one opposite him, the blade slicing clean through his target, and his kick sending the other clean to the class' ceiling. One final upward swing brought the blade through the remaining Ursa's spine. His feet tapped against the ground silently, as the rest of the class stared in awe. Weiss' eyes were tracing the pattern her teammate took to defeat the creatures. _Huh... he told me he had problems with Grimm... I sure didn't see it._

Professor Port clapped his hands together once. "Well done, Mr. Kallen. Now... a question for you... Huntsman and Huntresses are trained in efficiency, however you seemed to isolate your targets instead. In the beginning, you goaded the first Ursa out with a simple gesture, immediately placing distance between it and the others. Once you eliminated it, and the other two began their advance, you distanced them vertically, making it easier to deal with them individually... despite their closeness to you horizontally, Ursa don't jump well, making the one on the ground and in the air easy targets for you. My question for you... is where did you learn that?"

His question, along with the detailed explanation of Yuri's actions, had the attention of the entire class. "Because... one thing you learn... after a multitude of fights with people... is that it's easier to win three one-on-one fights... than it is to win one three-on-one fight. It's a theory of averages." Yuri explained. Port nodded. "Indeed... people are much more unpredictable than Grimm. So... isolating an opponent takes more work... but is safer. Either way... well done." He said. Yuri gave a nod of appreciation, then began his way back up to his desk. Yang turned to him and gave him a thumbs up. "You kick ass." She whispered to him as he passed.

He grinned in response to her praise. The rest of the class passed rather uneventfully, and as soon as Port dismissed them, Yuri and Yang scrambled for the classroom door, nearly tackling a few students out of the way as they did. Weiss sighed as they disappeared out into the hall. "They really don't have any self control... do they?" She asked no one in particular. After a few graphic images slipped into the her thoughts, she found herself envious of Yang, although she didn't quite understand why. _Didn't Yang say that Blake or I could have him? I don't get it... for someone so nonchalant about her feelings towards him... she sure spends a lot of time with him._

Yang chased the young man down the hall, Weiss had finally given him her note, and she knew it, now all she had to do was tell him exactly what she wanted. The little game they were playing continued across multiple floors, as they rocketed through crowds, him almost always just out of reach. Eventually however, she managed to corner him on the rooftop, where she had originally planned on challenging him. Panting, she threw her arms around his neck, kissing him rather forcefully. He didn't complain, instead wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling him closer.

As she explored his mouth as much as possible with her own, her mind questioned whether she really wanted to do as she had planned. But as she finally pulled away from him, she had already decided to move ahead. She propped herself on her back foot. "So... listen..." She began. "I've been thinking about things... you know... between us... ugh! This is so much harder to say for real than it is in my head!" She complained. "It's alright, lover... I'm not going anywhere... take your time." Yuri laughed. "Okay... I... want you to... seduce... Blake and Weiss." She said.

Yuri's response was one of pure laughter. "Whoa, whoa, whoa... holy... oh my fuck my sides... wa- wait... you're serious?" He asked. A little embarrassed that she hadn't been taken seriously... she nodded. "Oh... alright... it's just... it sounded more like a challenge than a request." He noted. She immediately regained her confidence, puffing herself out. "It **is** a challenge... both of them seem to be vying for what you've got in your pants. Me personally... I want to see where it goes." She laughed. He burst into a similar fit of laughter, then after a moment, regained his composure.

"Alrighty... I guess... that I accept your challenge... but... are you really okay with it?" He asked. She made a face that only reflected uncertainty, then she took his cheeks by her palms. "I... I love you, Yuri... but I'm not in love with you." She stated. He nodded. "I understand. Well... I guess the question is... do you... still want us to... you know... get together even when I'm... seducing them?" He asked. She looked taken aback. "I'm not giving you up that easy, so definitely... you and I aren't... breaking up, per se. I just want you to... actively try to get in their pants." She said.

He nodded. "Huh... that's fine... I think... I can do that... Yeah... hmmm... I... yeah... definitely." He said. His now rambling thought process confused Yang. "Definitely what?" He grinned. "I'm definitely going for Weiss first." He finished. She looked at him, then broke into a grin of her own. "Well... I look forward to seeing you work your magic." She said. He grinned. "Do you... want me to work some of my magic right now?" He asked. She gave him a rather cheeky grin, then threw her arms back around his neck. "I think we've got some time... how about right here?"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Ruby! Hurry up, do you want to be late to meet his parents? You're our team leader for fucks sake!" Yang screamed down the hall. "Sorry... I want to make a good first impression, right?" Ruby called back. "It's okay, Yang, really. They aren't going to be upset because we're ten minutes late... alright? We'll be fine, love." He said. Yang sighed, and Weiss and Blake looked to each other and shrugged. She was still pretty much a kid, and sometimes it showed.

As the group boarded the airship, Yang wondered exactly what Yuri's parents were like. She could only really imagine his mother, as Weiss gave a brief description of what she looked like a while ago. "Are your parents even going to like us?" Ruby asked. "I like you, isn't that enough?" He countered. She giggled in return, giving up any worry about on the topic. They began to relax as the airship launched into the sky.

Yuri sighed as he thought about his family, his mind twisting and turning in a labyrinth of self loathing. _Some son I've been... huh. Well... at least I get to see the kids again... they're all fourteen now... it's really crazy... finally seeing them after so long... well... most of them anyway._ "Yuri?" Blake asked. He shook his head, trying to collect himself. "Sorry... did I doze off?" He asked. She nodded, a little nervous. "Umm... your mother is a Faunus, right?" She asked. "Yeah... all of my siblings are too... I'm the only one out of six children to be a pure blooded human." He told her.

"So... did your dad, like... cheat on your mom or something?" Yang asked. Yuri chuckled. "No... my mom has a pretty clear memory of the day she gave birth to me... besides... I was a twin." He said. "Really? I never met her." Weiss noted. "Yeah... it's a bit more complicated than I want to get into." He said. She dropped the matter, as it visibly uneasy. She made a mental note of it. _I... should keep that in mind, I don't want to dredge up any bad memories._ "We're here!" Ruby called out.

"Wow, leave it to the rich girl to get us here in less than fifteen minutes. We did have to cross an ocean you know." Yuri laughed. "Well I apologize for using my vast wealth to make things a little easier for us. Also... don't you cross an ocean every time you go to the Menagerie?" She asked. "Ahh, it's fine... your vast wealth isn't what makes you cute anyway. And yes I do... but **I** use my legs." He laughed. They disembarked from the aircraft, pausing to ensure no one left anything of importance. "Hey... is that your mom?" Yang asked, pointing to a balcony on the building a few hundred meters away. "Oh, yeah it is, I don't know how you saw her though. HEY, MOM!" Yuri called out.

He called for another few seconds before she realized who he was. She leapt onto the balcony railing, then sprung off of it. All of the girls gave a cry of shock, but Yuri was steadfast. _That's right... Mom's a Royal like me..._ She bounced a little as she landed on the pad, but righted herself with no difficulty. "Hey there, kids!" She giggled. _She really hasn't changed at all... completely serious on the job... then as soon as she clocks out she's just a mother._ She looked at Yuri for a moment, then literally tackled him to the ground. He jumped to his feet, holding her against him. "Hey Mom.." He whispered through a stream of tears.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yuri's mother directed them through their enormous home, which she had brought them to after proper introductions. They entered a large living room, and sat down on various surfaces, most notably Yang on Yuri's lap. Diana seemed surprised, but not in the least upset. "Are you two?" She asked, not finishing the question. "Nope... let's just say we... **really** like each other." Yuri said. Her eyes opened just a little wider, but she nodded. A knock came from the other end of the house. "Hey! Anyone home, I brought the young ones!" Came a shout from the other end of the house.

A head full of long silver hair poked her head around the corner of the room. "Big... Brother?" She asked. Yuri looked her over. "A-Anna!" He grinned. The girl charged at him with even more reckless abandon than her mother. He shifted Yang off of him, letting her slide down onto the couch they were occupying. The girl threw herself around him, obviously desperate to keep him there. "Hey... hey. I'm not going anywhere, and I'll come back even when I do."

He broke into a grin, and lifted the small girl into the air. Despite her and her siblings being Ruby's age, she in particular was always a small girl. The rest of his siblings darted into the room, crowding around their older brother. They seemingly had something to show him, and began dragging him away. "Oh... they've taken him already... oh well, I suppose I'll be able to chat with him... given time." Came a gruff voice from around the corner.

The voice, which belonged to a man just a few inches shorter than Yuri, boomed through the house with authority. He stepped through the home as though he owned it, and as Weiss had already realized, he did. "Uh... Mr. Greymoor? Why... am I just realizing who you are now!?" She groaned. "Hey there, Ms. Schnee, good to see you looking as healthy as your sister." He smiled. He was a tall man, standing more than a foot taller than his wife, with flowing gray hair that was near identical to Yuri's. His face was that of a man with plenty of happiness in his life, with heavy laugh lines drawing the shape of his cheek. However, other than his hair, it was difficult to ascertain exactly what qualities Yuri had inherited from him.

Weiss stood up, gesturing to the pair. "I'll introduce them on a more professional level, everyone, this is Diana Greymoor, head of our Dust Medical Applications Department." She said, waving her hand towards the small woman. "This, is Marx Greymoor, head of the Schnee Dust Company's Research and Development Division." She explained. "It's a pleasure to meet you all." He said. "Although... I was told Drake had become friends with four girls... yet I only see three." He said.

Yang turned, immediately realizing who of the four had disappeared. She gave a laugh then waved it away. "Ruby's just a kid... let her get to know Yuri's siblings." She said. "Oh, you aren't worried about your little sister taking your boyfriend?" Weiss asked, before instantly remembering who exactly was with them. "Oh... I'm so sorry. I shouldn't be so... forthcoming about his private life, especially if you don't approve." She apologized. "Why I wouldn't I approve? He's an adult." The man noted.

"You don't care what he does?" Yang asked. He shook his head. "It's not that I don't care... but when he left us... he was still a child... to me... the fact that he was able to stay alive and stay his course, despite being so young... makes me incredibly proud." He smiled. "So... Anna has tackled him literally both times she's seen him. I could understand the first time, when I brought him to the Headquarters, but this instance, coupled with the fact that she also seems to be the first one to come running." Weiss started. "Now... I remember you talking about one of your sons and your daughters being really close... but again, I thought you meant one of her quadruplet siblings. So... how did Yuri and her get like that?" She finished.

"Well... it's not difficult to explain... you see, Drake was born a twin, he had a sister, who we are no longer on speaking terms with. Anyway, when he was born, saying that he was underweight would be an egregious mistake... he was four pounds, five ounces. It was one of the most terrifying moments of my life to have a doctor tell me that my beloved newborn son could die at any moment... but... eventually, despite constantly being told that my son would probably die... he prevailed, and grew up to become a pretty healthy young man." She explained, before taking a breath.

"When our daughter, Anna, was born... she had almost identical circumstances, the only difference being her current state. She gets sick constantly, she's incredibly small for her age, and she's physically inferior in almost every way. Even still... she's our daughter, and we love her. Not to mention how hurt Drake would be if anything ever happened to her." Marx noted. "When she was born, she weighed even less than he did. The night Diana went into labor, Drake, at three years old, insisted that he be able to be with his mother during the delivery, so we let him." He continued.

"Anna was the last child to be born, and Drake had helped with the other children, but... he wouldn't let her go. The doctors had an enormous amount of trouble getting her from him to was her and get her checked up. Even when they were done, he demanded that they give her to him. That was the night that he named her Anna. He didn't let her go for a week after that. He was the first to feed her, the first to bathe her. Hell... his name was even her first word. The bond they share... maybe it's a little saddening that my daughter loves my son a bit more than her mother or father... but considering how Drake was there for her... it's understandable." He smiled.

"Hey! Where's Anna's room? She's getting tired." Yuri called out. "Oh... it's the third room on the right, at the very top of the stairs, dear!" Diana called out. "Thanks, I'll come back down after I put her to bed." He said. "Heh... you see... little things like that... if it involves her or her siblings... he'll do just about anything." She giggled. "They're the reason he acts the way he does." She said. "What do you mean?" Weiss asked. "Well... I bet if you asked him why he does things he does in the Menagerie, he'll probably say that it's so he can protect the people of the world. Well... in my eyes... I think he does it for them... they're Faunus... and will have to live in a world that hates them... that is... unless he changes it." She finished.

"What... kind of Faunus are you, ma'am?" Blake asked. "Oh... my family, with the exception of Marx and Drake, are Wolf Faunus, dear. But... I don't think you specifically have anything to worry about." She said. "WAIT! You can..." Blake began. "Oh my... did you think you were hiding it? You're wearing a bow... and you're almost an adult, the smell is thick on you, and your eyes are almost exactly like mine. Now... I don't know why you hide it... but there's no reason to at this point. I'm almost certain that Drake knows." She said. "Yuri, what species is Blake!?" Yang called out. "Uhh... I'm pretty sure she's a Cat Faunus... she smells like one at least... I don't mean you stink or anything, Blake! But... it's something I realized the day we met." He said.

He came bounding down the stairs, skidding to a halt as he turned the corner. "You... you knew?" Blake asked, her face steeped in embarrassment. "Yeah... although I didn't bother you about it, since you seemed to have personal reasons to hide it." He explained. He shrugged. "I don't care that you're a Faunus, because to me you're just a person... but I do understand that not everyone is so comfortable with who they are just yet... I really want to change that... so that people can be proud of who they are... I... don't want you to feel the need to hide... Blake." He said.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Before the group knew it, several hours had come and gone, and Yuri stretched his arms over his head. "Alright guys... I think it's about time we head out." He said. "Ahhh... it's been so good to see you all." Diana sighed. She stood and wrapped herself around her son. "I'll miss you my baby." She said. He pulled her tightly. "It'll be alright... I do intend to come back, but it'll be a few weeks." He said. "Big... brother." Anna's almost silent voice sang out. "Little One... you got back up. Come here." He said. She leapt across the room, again tackling Yuri to the ground. "Okay, okay... I'm leaving in a minute sweetie." He said. He lifted her up as he stood, keeping her steady as he did. "Goo- goodbye, Brother Drake." She said.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The rest of the day passed casually, the group returned to the Academy, had dinner and eventually went to sleep. It wasn't until morning that an unexpected event occurred. **Knock. Knock!** "Mr. Kallen... a package arrived for you. I believe that it's from an... Anna... Greymoor." Ms. Goodwitch called from the other side of the door. Yuri sprang up from his relaxed position against the wall, and flung the door open. A box was immediately thrust into his face, and he reeled back to avoid being hit. He took the box in his hands, it was long, and slender... but heavy. "Uhh... thank you, Ms. Goodwitch." He said.

He began closing the door, but she caught it with her foot, handing him another bag. "Your uniform... when Ms. Schnee explained the changes that you underwent, I was rather skeptical that they were as drastic as she implied... I can see I was wrong... your uniform should fit you if I did measurements correctly." She said. Yuri was only half-listening, already tearing into the package that he had been given.

As he pulled the long sheath from the box. It was a solid silver, with a black hilt accented with purple Dust stones. A small note fell out of the box as he tossed it aside. He gently set the blade on the ground, then reached for the note. He unfolded the small piece of paper, and without hesitation, read the note aloud.

" _Dear Brother,_

 _I pray this gift finds you well._

 _I've been practicing my smithing techniques everyday since the day you left nine years ago._

 _This blade is the work that I am most proud of._

 _I wanted to name it Drake..._

 _But instead... I name it Hope._

 _Hope... because you give me Hope._

 _And I believe that you are the best Hope for our family._

 _I know you try so hard... and I know it hurts so much... even if you never tell me._

 _I love you, Drake._

 _Please don't forget to come home._

 _Love, Your Sister, Anna."_

The tears in Yuri's eyes were offset by the grin on his face. "Hey... are you alright?" Blake asked. He nodded. "Yeah... she's just never usually that wordy... so I know she's serious." He laughed. He slid his foot underneath the sheath, then popped it up to his hand. As he pulled the blade from the sheath, his eyes seemingly became wider with each inch that he viewed. "Wow... baby sister of mine... you really are something... aren't you?" He said. Its solid steel blade was intricate, not to mention beautiful. A long set of folded notches ran along the length of the edge, forming a small gray wave that clashed elegantly with the silver steel.

He slid the sword back into its sheath. "Any reason in particular that she chose a katana?" Ruby asked. "It was the particular sword type that my father taught how to smith." He explained. "When you create a sword by hand, it's an unbelievably deep process, if you aren't prepared for it... it shows in the final production from your efforts... A katana... however, is even more intimate. Every fold on the steel, every swing of your hammer... every simple dip in the cooling well... it has to be perfect, or the blade suffers. My sister put her heart and soul into this blade... and it shows." He smiled.

"So... are you going to use that as your melee weapon now?" Yang asked. "Well... I'll probably use both... the jitte is unbeatable against blades... and I know for a fact that this blade will serve me well." He stated. "MR. KALLEN." Ms. Goodwitch said sternly. "Yes, ma'am?" He responded. "The Headmaster has requested your presence in his office... please come with me. You four are to report to class as normal. That is all." She said. "Well... I'll see you girls later." Yuri said, giving them a wave goodbye.

 _I wonder what old man Ozpin wants... I hope nothing's wrong._


	14. Chapter 14 - Those He Trusted

**RWBY: Grey Chapter**

Ruby had her eyes plastered to the door to Professor Port's room, waiting eagerly for Yuri to come in. If Ozpin had called him, she knew it had to be for something great. "Ms. Rose?" Professor Port asked, giving her a start. She turned to him, slightly embarrassed. "Yes, sir?" She said. "I'd appreciate it if you paid more attention to my lecture than your absent teammate." He pleaded sarcastically. The classroom door opened, but before Ruby could celebrate, Ms. Goodwitch stormed into the room with a huff.

She centered herself at the front of the classroom before speaking, then sighed. "Team... RWBY... you are to accompany Mr. Kallen on his contracted mission." She said. "Wait... WHAT!?" Weiss shouted in shock. Yuri poked his head through the door. "No complaining, we're leaving." He said. Ruby jumped out of her seat, dashing to the door. Yang stood and stretched her arms above her. "No point in wondering what's going on, let's go." She said.

Blake yawned, rubbing her face in her hands as she stood. Weiss still incredulous towards whatever was happening, sighed, frustrated. She stood up and made her way towards the door. "I guess there isn't an option in this case, is there?" She moaned. Blake hopped over her desk, following the way. _Well... if we're going somewhere, shouldn't we have our things?_ She shrugged at her own confusion, then continued through the door.

The group returned to the dorm, where they gathered their arms. Ruby was the first to vocally question exactly what was happening. "So, why are we going with you? I mean, I know that students from academies like ours can be sent on missions, but I thought that was only for the Third Year's." She said. "Well... I don't really understand the specifics myself... but apparently, there are some parties who are rather interested in me." He said. "Yeah, okay. But why are we going with you?" Blake asked.

He grinned. "To be honest, I was given a bunch of contracts to choose from, and they all seemed incredibly simple. But... I figured I'd probably get bored, and I told Ozpin that if he didn't let you all have the option to come, that I wouldn't do it." He explained. "You didn't exactly give us an option... did you though?" Weiss asked. He thought back for a moment, then shrugged. "I told you not to complain, I didn't say that you couldn't say no... and you can still say no now if you want to." He told her.

She gave a huff. He was right, and although it seemed like it would be a bother, she wanted to spend more time with Yuri, even if it was when he was a bit preoccupied. Although she lamented the fact that Blake would have an equal amount of time to swoon him, she had been planning something to win him over, she just needed an opportunity to enact said plan. She remained silent for the remainder of his explanation, packing Dust crystals into her rapier, ensuring that she would be ready for whatever lie ahead.

Yuri pulled Hope slightly from its sheath, then pushed it back into place. He repeated this a few times, and the clank of the hilt on the steel sheath rang in Blake's ears. "Hey, could you stop that, please?" She begged. His eyes widened in surprise. "I apologize, sometimes... I guess I forget that things like this may bother people, and honestly, I just can't get enough of this blade." He said. "It's fine, just... enough with the noise." She said. He wrapped his hand around the sheath, propping the hilt on his shoulder.

"You really like that sword, don't you?" Yang asked. "But... isn't it **just** that, a sword?" She finished her thought with a nod, sure that she was correct. "Yes... you brute... it is... just a sword. But think about this: My sister, who was thirteen years old at the time, slaved over a forge that burned at twelve hundred degrees every day for about sixteen months, constantly hammering, then folding, a piece of burning metal, until she finally felt that she had done enough, for this "just a sword" to be complete. Regardless of how plain the blade may be, it took consistency and unwavering determination for this "just a sword" to be made, that... is why I love this sword." He finished.

Yang waved her hand in front of her face, apparently realizing she had tread on unwelcome ground. "Sorry, sorry. I think it's a beautiful blade, but... I guess **I** just don't see it being anything other than a blade." She corrected herself. He shrugged. "It's fine, I was just giving you shit, to be honest. A few words aren't going to break my spirit that easily." He laughed. She sighed. "Fuck you, don't scare me like that!" She laughed, punching his shoulder. "Hey, what exactly is the mission you were given, Yuri?" Ruby asked, cutting into the playful banter between her sister and her lover.

"Well, we're supposed to be looking for something in a desolate ruin, Ozpin said that have been there before, so I'm hoping you four remember where exactly this place is." He said. "Ummm... yeah... that was when we first became a team, not officially, but it was the deciding event." Yang said. "Well... then it should be a memorable location for you all." He said. Yang nodded. "I think I remember where it is, it may take me a while to find though, we were **flung** into the forest, after all." She told him.

They walked for a while, with Ruby recounting the tale of their trials in the forest. Eventually, they came to the crumbling bridge, a sprawl of Grimm collected in the canyon that the bridged spanned across. A large cave mouth was present opposite the side of the bridge they were on. "Hey... look at that... that's where we need to be, right?" Yang asked. Yuri nodded. "Okay then, I'll stay back and take care of them." He said. His hands rifled through his pocket for a moment, and he handed Ruby a picture of a small silver pocket watch. "What, are you a dog playing fetch?" Ruby asked. Almost immediately she threw her hands over her mouth. "Not the best choice of words, eh sis?" Yang laughed.

Yuri smiled, obviously unperturbed by Ruby's accidental insult. "Alright, you girls find a way down there, and I'll take care of the rabble." He said. The girls looked on as he lunged into the abyss below, his hand fixed on the hilt of his blade. "Well... shall we start looking?" Weiss asked. The four agreed and began scanning the sheer cliff for a safe path down. Eventually, Yang gave a frustrated grunt and slammed her fist into the ground. The earth in front of her feet gave way, and slowly crumbled off the edge of the cliff.

"Hey! I think I can smash our way down!" She laughed. Weiss groaned, although she saw no other option, she wasn't readily fond of the prospect of dropping hundreds of feet on a broken rock. Regardless, the four gathered around the edge, and Yang struck the ground once more. The small chunk of rock that they had been standing atop slowly broke away, and began careening to the ground. "When we get near the ground, jump off so you hit it a little softer." Ruby shouted. They could hear Yuri's happy shouts as they plummeted, before silently landing a few meters from the cave in question.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As the girls left the cave nearly thirty minutes later, they were greeted with an enormous number of Grimm corpses. Yuri was sat atop a Deathstalker which was still very alive. "Hey girls! You find it?" He asked. Yang tossed him the silver watch. "Awesome... alright buddy lets hop to it." He said, patting the creature on its side. Its claws snapped, and it lurched towards the cliff-side. "You... actually tamed an adult Grimm?!" Weiss said worriedly. He gave her a shocked look, then nodded/ "Yeah, I can control the mind of basically anything if I use enough Aura." He said. "You can? What about people?" She asked.

He tilted his head. "Let me say this... if I did control you... you'd never know it, buuuuut... just making this guy calm is making me sweat, so I think if I really was controlling people, it'd be pretty obvious. Now... hop on, he's a big boy, he can carry us all." He said. Yang jumped onto the beast's back, wrapping her arms around Yuri's midriff. "Only if **I** get to sit here!" She laughed. The rest of the group climbed on cautiously, but eventually found that the creature was much more docile than expected. Its claws dug furiously into the cliff-side, and a few minutes later, the group was standing near the bridge once more.

The beast turned its back on them as soon as they were safely on the ground, lunging over the edge, back into the chasm. "Well... that settles it." He said happily. "I'll get this to Ozpin, you girls can go, unless you'd like to come along." He told them. "HOLD IT!" Weiss growled. She pointed to the ground, where a pool of blood had begun forming beneath the trim of his cloak. "Did you think someone **wouldn't** notice that?" She asked angrily. He grinned, then let his cloak shift, to show the wound. Three rather shallow scratches were present on his forearm. "Look, see? It's just a scratch, it'll have healed by the time I set foot back in Beacon." He said.

Weiss huffed, crossing her arms angrily. "When you get hurt, regardless of how slight it is, you're supposed to tell someone." She said. "That would be true, **if** I were normal, but we all know that normalcy is the last impression I give, but I promise if a wound is serious, I'll let you girls know." He said. Weiss wanted to argue further, but decided that any potential interest that he may have in her would be diminished upon doing so. "We're a team, Yuri, don't leave us in the dark." Blake said. He nodded, then stepped towards Beacon. "I'm off, I assume you four will be going back to class." He said.

As he disappeared into the forest, Blake sighed. "Sure... he says he'll be more open, but will he?" She asked no one in particular. "Do you not trust him, Blake?" Ruby asked. "It's not that... I just think... getting him to open up... is going to be harder than we may think." She said. "I mean... the last friends that he ever had were slaughtered... even if we mean well... it may be hard for him to get attached to any of us." She finished.

Weiss pondered that for a moment. Indeed, someone like that would be distrusting on two fronts, one, as they would be afraid of their new friends being killed as well... and they would also be afraid of being betrayed. Yuri seemed like he knew what both were like, even if he never said it. She grimaced, seeing this as a new barrier between he and her. _I guess I'll have to prove to him that he can trust me._ She shuddered, her mind flashing back to when he collapsed in front of her.

 _I don't ever want to see that again, but... I need him to trust that we're here for him._

 _So... what do I do?_


	15. Interlude - A Plot to be Unveiled

I lowered my Scroll to my side, the conversation with my mother thus ended. I let the air around me wisp through my hair, the cool temperature of the approaching Autumnal Equinox. I heard a soft rustle, the school's roof offering a respite from the day to day shenanigans that I had become accustomed to. Then nothing, silence. I stood there for about an hour, listening to the wind. "Brother? You called for me?" Anna's voice was familiar amongst the silent breeze atop the school. "Indeed I did, little sister." I called back. "I need your help with something, and it's important that we keep this between us." I said.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sun peeked his head out from the edge of the rooftop. "There you are." I said exasperated. "Sorry man, this isn't my school, so I got a bit lost." He explained. "It's fine, I wanted to speak to you about this coming Sunday." I said. "Oh... uh, sure." He said, obviously more than confused. "Also, do not inform anyone as to what we discuss... no one must know." I reiterated. I wrapped my fingers around his collar then pulled him up so his face was level with mine. "That means **definitely... not... BLAKE.** " I added.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

I let the two inside of me out for a moment, my domineering side no more prevalent than a small bit of added pressure on my right, and my destructive side taking the form of a small ball of Aura to my left. "So far, is everything according to my plan?" I asked. "Indeed, Belladonna seems all but assured of your... "pure heart", or so she displays." They resonated. "Good... and you scared Weiss during a time when she was alone, giving me an opportunity to seem as though we were opposing forces." I laughed. "These next two weeks are going to be quite entertaining." I mused.

I heard the door to the roof latch closed, and I bolted towards the sound, throwing it back open. I wrenched the eavesdropper's wrist back over the threshold, pinning their back to the frame of the door. "Ahhh... what's your name again? It... Jaune... right?" I asked. The young man nodded fearfully. "Good... I'm assuming that you heard everything up to this point, right?" I asked. He nodded again. "Don't tell anyone... **yet**." I said. "Huh? Yet?" He repeated. "What day is today?" I asked. "Th-Thursday." He answered. "Good... then don't tell anyone anything about what you heard today... at least until Friday of next week... you got that?" I asked. He nodded, and I released him.

 _Mother should have delivered it by tonight... so tomorrow... the plan can move ahead... oooh this is going to be so much fun._


	16. Chapter 15 - Penance Through Misfortune

**RWBY: Grey Chapter**

 **Fair warning, there is Lemon in this chapter, and it will be cordoned off by a marker. If you have a problem with it, avoid it.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **I've been having internet troubles, and it's been a while since I've updated, so this is going to be a REALLY long chapter.**

Yuri sighed as Weiss dragged him by the hand through the trees. She had been incredibly adamant that he join her after class and... seeing no reason to turn her down, agreed. As she pulled him along with one hand, the other's fingers drifted along a small bottle in her pocket. _If Mrs. Greymoor is right, and I'm sure she is... this stuff will help him heal... but he won't want to take it._ She entwined her fingers between his, and his grip softened significantly.

The darkened sky began releasing a soft patter of rain on the canopy above them, and small drops of water quickly fell from the leaves to her face. As the cool rain ran down her skin, she noticed that he was still completely dry. Upon closer inspection, she realized his Aura was evaporating any drops that neared him. _As much as I like him... he truly is a monstrous presence. Just walking near him makes my heart race._

Weiss began panting as they drew closer to the small pool near the graves. The canopy above them had grown thick enough to block out any stray raindrops, but by this point she had begun to miss the cool rain splashing on her face. She eventually started recognizing familiar landmarks, and soon they had reached the body of water she had been searching for. The small darkened clearing was a bastion of light and warmth for her.

"The water... glows." She noted worriedly. Yuri laughed. "Indeed, I think almost two years of me using it to rest and replenish my Aura may have... tainted the water a bit... it's still safe to bathe, swim, and drink from." He assured her. She stepped towards the edge, the heels of her boots sliding across the damp ground. As her feet slipped towards the water, she felt his arm wrap around her waist. "Easy there, Darling, I'd recommend wait until **after** you've taken your clothes off to get in." He chortled.

She felt her heart begin to beat a bit slower, the warmth of his body a comfortable feeling. She bumped her elbow against his chest to move him away. He grunted. "Ughh... hey... let's be nice now." He said, rubbing his hands along his ribs. "Take your shirt off, Yuri." Weiss said angrily. He pulled over his head, groaning slightly as he did. The light around them wasn't bright by any stretch, but she could still make out the enormous bruise that covered most of his torso.

She jabbed her finger into the deep purple contusion, causing him to snatch her hand. "Knock it off!" He howled. "I will not stop!" She screamed back. "Every... single time you've gotten hurt so far, you just tried to deal with it by yourself, with no regard to how we feel when we see you in pain like this... do you think we like that... do you think... I... like that?" She sobbed, before tossing herself onto him.

He smirked, then shifted her slightly with one hand. His free hand ran across his chest, causing the heavy bruising to fade. Weiss, stunned at what she had just seen, took a moment to realized what had happened, but once she did... she was fuming. "You... Fuck! You tricked me!" She shouted. He laughed and pulled her tight against him. "I suppose I did... but it was the only way that I could get you to be honest with me." He said.

She stopped struggling for a moment, then calmed down fully. "I... I want to be angry... but I can't... I'm... just glad you aren't hurt." She said. He looked at her for a moment. "Can I ask you something? This is a serious question, so please don't skirt around it." Yuri said. Confused, she nodded. "Are you jealous?" He asked. The question caught her completely off guard, and she reeled back in shock. "J-j-jealous? Of who?" She questioned. "Weiss... ughh... look... I... know that you have **some**... desires... towards me... although I'm not certain as to what extent... but it must feel like there's no room for you when the Yang and I are... so close." He said.

She blushed as the words clicked. "H-Hey... that's not fair... why do you know so much?" She asked. "Well, I learned how to read people when I was young, and I've put the knowledge to use ever since then." He laughed. "Well how much do you know, exactly?" She asked. He grinned. "I'd wager, that when I go to see my family next weekend, you'd be ecstatic if I brought you as my girlfriend." He said.

 _What? Is... he serious?_ She stared into his eyes, searching for any indication that his comment was in jest. He seemed serious, his eyes locked on hers. She realized that his face was only a few centimeters from hers, and backed herself away slowly. "You know, you might be her boss's daughter, but I'm sure my mom would eat you alive." He laughed, before clutching his side. "Shit... I guess I'm not at 100% after all." He noted.

Weiss' hands went straight to her pockets, and his eyes followed. As she pulled out the small vial, his lips curled into a weak smile. "Maybe... she won't eat you alive... but she was definitely trying to get you sexually assaulted." He said. Her eyes widened in shock. "Wh... What makes you say that?" She asked. "If... if that stuff is what I think it is... then it's a powerful painkiller... but it also has two other... nefarious effects." He said.

Her face twisted into one of confusion. "Out with it... I... don't want to be kept waiting." She said. "It's a painkiller, but the chemical mix also has properties consistent with a hallucinogen and an aphrodisiac. An **incredibly** powerful aphrodisiac." He said. "The combination makes me... insatiable." He finished. "Oh... and what, precisely, am I keeping you waiting from? If you don't want to be here, I'm not stopping you from leaving." He said.

She huffed at his obvious misunderstanding of what she meant. "That's not... what I was saying." she said. The flush on her face was clearly visible when accounting for the water's glow and Yuri's low light vision. Honestly he was surprised from her reaction. "You... want... to have sex? Here? Now?" He said, confused. She nodded, her hands now fidgeting with her hair. "Why not?" She said, cutting off his rather obvious next question. "You and Yang do it all the time, and she **loves** it, she talks about how wonderful you are constantly... so... I want to see what it's like." She said.

He gave her an odd look, his face caught between bewilderment and what seemed to be vitriol. After a moment, he softened considerably. "Give me the vial, please." He said. She handed it over, and he popped the tiny cork from its top. He tilted the glass to his lips, grimacing as the liquid passed through them. He pulled it away after draining about 80% of it, then handed the remainder to Weiss. "Drink it, it'll be a help to you." He said.

Nervously, she tilted what little liquid remained into her own mouth. It was bitter, but highlighted with a soft tinge of citrus. She didn't exactly find its taste too desirable, but it wasn't necessarily bad, either. "How long will it take to-" She tried to say before realizing that her speech had become slurred and nearly incomprehensible. "Yeah, it... works pretty fast." He said. His own face had grown bright red, the inebriation more than apparent.

His hands slid up to her cheeks. "Listen... if I do something you don't like, you need to say stop... okay?" He asked. She nodded, her mind completely capable of understanding, but her mouth just seemed incapable of forming words. She wasn't concerned, however she was nervous beyond belief. He pointed to the pool of water after taking the vial from her. "Let's get in there... you'll be able to adjust a little better." He said.

She watched as he removed his clothes down to his undergarments. He turned with a rather lethargic grin on his face. "You want some help getting yours off, or do you just want me to watch?" He asked. She buried her face in her hands, although it did little to hide her answer. "You do it." She said. His grin widened even more as he mad his way towards her. His hands darted around her waist, and he lifted her thighs around him, setting her down on her backside.

His hands drifted from her waist, down to her ankles, where he began toying with her boots, pulling at the strings and leggings. His hands were soft as he teased her legs, and the sensation for her was more pleasurable than she expected. He had untied her laces before she even comprehended it, and pulled off her boots and leggings slowly. The night air was colder than she had expected, and his warm hands on her now bare legs was welcome.

His head drifted down to her knees, where his lips began softly brushing downwards. She giggled, the tickling sensation soon overwhelming her. The feeling of his lips, and eventually his tongue, was wonderful, regardless of the aphrodisiac. He hands massaged their way down the outsides of her legs, while his mouth did the same to the insides. She swayed as much as she could, sitting on the ground. Her body tingled with a little more with each passing moment, the aphrodisiac taking a deeper hold on her.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 **LEMON ALERT**

She placed her hands on his head, hoping to guide him over her legs. He let her hands push and pull him slowly across her. He teased her midriff slightly with his fingers, and she moaned a bit, the odd tingling his touch brought growing in both heat and intensity. She giggled again, the effect now in full swing, and her mind filled with a bubbliness that she hadn't anticipated.

His hands drifted back up to her collar, fingers purposefully fumbling with the hem. He wrapped his fingers around it, then pulled it down slowly. Weiss' eyes flinched softly as the button holding her collar together snapped away. "Hey... don't ruin my dress." She said. He lifted himself up to her face, pressing his lips to hers forcefully. She feigned pulling away for just a moment, then threw herself around him.

His tongue forced its way between her lips, darting around her mouth, searching for hers. Upon finding it, the two played happily, teasing each other for a few moments, before Weiss pulled away shyly. "What's wrong, dear? Are you nervous?" Yuri asked. She nodded. "I'm... not sure what we do next... but... even with the drug... my pride doesn't want you in control." She said, her face plastered with embarrassment.

He grinned. "Then I'm going to enjoy breaking that pride." He laughed, before leaning in next to her ear. "I'm gonna make you scream, my love." He whispered. He grabbed her earlobe with his teeth, and started rolling it between them softly. She yelped softly, burying her face into his neck. He let go after a moment, pulling her tight against him. "You know... I'm a little worried, to be honest." He said. She pushed away a bit, now also worried. "About... what?" She asked.

He sighed. "Well... Yang... is somewhere around half a foot larger than you... and she was a pretty tight fit." He said. Weiss tilted her head, confused, but after a moment, his meaning clicked. "Well... Yang... might have said something about that." She said. "Did she? I'm curious... the only reason that she'd give you information like that is if you'd asked for it... have you been planning this little... illicit rendezvous?" He said.

She gulped, realizing that she had been found out. "Well... would you be upset if I have? I mean... it's not like I've been planning this for any significant length of time... I decided on it yesterday... after your mom told me what that medicine did to you." She stammered. "Ahhh... so... you were trying to sexually assault **me**?" He grinned. She gaped at him. "Th-Th-That's... ugh... okay... I was... worried you say no if I asked... seeing how you and Yang are... I was scared if I asked you..." She didn't finish, he wouldn't let her. He tapped his finger to her lips, stopping the overload of words from spilling out.

"Not... another... word... my love. You've not slighted me in any way... although..." He began. "Al-Although... what?" She whimpered. She hadn't expected him to figure her out so fast, but she sensed that he wasn't truly upset or angry, which relieved her. "I think you should still be punished... but... I can't think of any- wait." He said. He cocked his head to the side, narrowing his eyes into the darkness. _Look, Yang..._ _ **I**_ _don't care if you watch us... but she will... so you need to be quiet._ "I have an idea... from this moment, until I say... you have to do everything that I tell you." He said.

She looked at him, confused, and now a little worried. "E-Everything?" She questioned. "Oh... you're upset now? Weiss... we're about to have sex... there isn't much that I can make you do that you wouldn't be doing anyway." He smiled, pressing his forehead to hers. "I told you... I want you to enjoy this... I still want that. I promise... just let me take the lead." He said. She huddled a little closer to him. She never could explain why exactly she felt compelled to let him, but she did. She nodded. "Okay."

He smiled, sliding his hands up to her collar once more. "I'm gonna take this off now... if you don't want to do this... now's the time to say something." He said. She shook her head. "We've gone this far... I... want to do this with you." She said. "Alright then... stand up." He said. He helped her up to her feet, then took her collar a third time. "This... has got to come off, I'm down to my unders... time to take you down to yours." His grin was even wider than before. He pulled downwards slowly, the buttons popping away softly.

Despite her nervousness, she sat motionless, allowing him to continue. As the top of her skirt fell, she felt its weight tug slightly on her waist. Her hands slowly drifted to the side, she herself wanted the rest removed, but he was taking his time, which had slowly begun frustrating her. He grabbed her hands, pulling her face inches from his, and gripping her bottom lip softly with his teeth. His throat rumbled as he spoke. "No no, my dear, only **I** get to have this fun. You aren't to do anything until I say... so sit back... I like to take my time." He said.

She pouted, but made no attempt to argue. She **did** want him, after all. His eyes wavered from hers for the first time in a while, and they drifted directly to her breasts, which were now covered only by the silver lace bra she had chosen just a few hours prior. "Lace... huh... you... look really beautiful in that." He said. She pulled her hands away slightly, her blush burning through the influence of the drug. "Hey... would it kill you to be a bit more subtle?" She giggled.

He pretended to ponder her question as his hands moved back to her bare neck. He dislodged the already loose grip of his teeth from her lip. "Y'know... I think it might kill me... still... maybe next time I'll try." He said. His hands slid back down to her breasts, which he cupped softly. His touch was warm, and it made her shiver underneath the cold night air. "Yeah... The last bit of your skirt is coming off before we go any further." He said, more to himself than her.

He unfastened the latch on the hip of her skirt, and it fell to the ground without resistance. "Lace on both ends, huh? You're a lot more bold than I anticipated. That's good." He laughed. His hands darted around her, and his fingertips began pulling on the hooks of her bra. "Hey... slow down." She said. Either he didn't hear her plea, or simply ignored it. He succeeded in unhinging her bra, and quickly pulled it away.

His eyes were fixed on her bare chest, a fact she would have known even without being able to see his face. "Yes... I'm not as big as Yang... you don't have to point it out." She said sadly. "Oh... I don't mind that... I'm just seeing what you're working with... it'll... help me keep you happy." He said. "Happy? What do yo-" Yuri leaned down and grabbed her left nipple with his lips. She yelped, it didn't hurt, but it was the last thing she had expected.

He pulled back, letting go of her. "That's what I thought, you have sensitive nipples... hmmm... that... makes things a little more fun for us." He said. His hands gripped around her breasts, molding them softly. "I can play with these after we start. Get your panties off... you wanted to hurry up, right? I'll grant that wish... let's play." He grinned. She slunk back slightly, letting her hands fall to her hips, she began inching down the lace that covered her groin.

As she slipped hers off, he did the same, and her eyes were glued to his own groin as he did. "You're... huge." She said. His head dropped as he laughed at her words. "Yes... but... weren't you the one who said not to stare?" He said. "Well yes but... it's amazing." She said. "Okay... worship it later... let's get in the water." He commanded. Rather than letting her make her way into it herself, he lifted her into his arms, and threw himself in. He lowered her to the side, letting her legs in, but leaving her rear on the ground.

"You... wait." He said. He ran his fingers along her outer labia. She was smooth, and hairless, but it wasn't shaved. "You don't grow hair?" He asked. "That's... none of your business... I'm sorry I resemble a little girl down there." She said. He kissed the inside of her knee. "I don't mind... to be honest, it doesn't really bother me." He mused. His mouth began slowly running deeper into her thigh.

As his face moved closer, she felt his lips trace the same pattern as he did previously. His mouth hovered inches from her. "Hurry... It's getting cold." She said. He plunged his tongue inside of her. As he began moving his tongue around her, she giggled. "It... it... it tickles... that's... weird." She tilted her head back, arching herself into him. The tickling slowly melted away, her mind becoming filled with him. "Why... why is... this starting to feel good?" She asked. She wasn't really posing the question to him, she was simply confused.

As he worked himself slightly deeper, she felt her heart pump furiously. He moved his face up slightly, biting down lightly. She moaned happily, pushing one of her hands on to his head. His tongue plunged deeper one final time. He continued teasing her insides while she gasped for air, his motions leaving her heavily winded. She felt a wave of weakness cast over her. Something stirred inside of her core, and her thighs tightened around Yuri's head.

Her mind went blank, her thoughts void and small compared to her emotions, which had become entrenched in sadness. She felt tears begin to stream down her face. "Huh? Why... am I crying?" She asked. He pulled away, his eyes locked with hers. "That's... probably a side effect of the drug... here." He wrapped himself around her, his position in the water keeping him about level with her breasts. He nuzzled his head against her. "It'll be okay... I'm sure that it'll stop in a moment." He promised.

She sucked in a few breaths, which resulted in a soft sob spilling from her throat. He tightened his hold on her, pulling her head down to him. He kissed her forehead lightly. "Take it slow. Just give it some time." He said. She pulled him even closer, their bodies under the influence of the aphrodisiac melted together. Weiss' sadness seemingly dissipated without resistance, her mind now filled with a bubbly happiness. "This is weird... I... feel so strange... I..." She lowered her hands around his member, teasing him with a silly grin.

"Hey... hey... hey... I... want you inside of me... now." She giggled. He lifted her up slightly, then pulled her into the water. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. She bit down into his lip, similar to how he had done previously. "Hurry up!" She laughed giddily. She lifted herself up using his shoulders, then shimmied herself onto him, grinding against him. He gritted his as she slowly moved down further. "Wow... you got it all in there at once... nice job." He grunted.

"Does it hurt?" She asked. He grinned and nodded. "You're a lot tighter than I expected... but then again... you were a virgin until just now... try moving a bit... you're squeezing pretty hard." He gasped. She slid herself up a bit, trying her hardest to loosen herself up. Yuri let out a breath as she did. "That's better... you're not hurting at all?" He asked. She shook her head, pushing herself back down a bit. "I... feel really good... it's like you're filling me up." She giggled.

"Well I'm glad you like it and all, but take a few deep breaths, I need you a bit less tight." He said. She did as he asked, sucking in deep breaths and blowing them out softly. "There ya go... fuck... that really did hurt... how did I get it all in there and **you** not even feel any pain?" He asked. "Oh no... it really hurt... but it feels really good too." She said. "I see... so... you... like the pain? He questioned. "Uhhh... something like that I guess... the drugs are making my thoughts fuzzy... I don't feel like myself." She complained.

He pushed her a bit further up, shifting her back against the soft clay edge of the pool. "Okay... let's get started... you alright with taking it a bit slow? The water makes it hard to thrust fast." He said. She nodded. "Sure... I'm ready whenever you... ah!" He pushed himself back into her, illiciting a gasp and a moan following. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he began pumping slowly. Each motion brought a rush of glee from her, her voice increasing in pitch every time.

His motions became erratic, never staying consistent with his timing, and it drove her wild. She pressed her mouth to his chest, gasping happily as he continued. As his movement sped and slowed with out reason, her head filled with a cloudy sigh, her eyes blinded by a nonexistent light. She felt her mind slip away, filled with a brilliant electricity. Her mind went blank, filled once more with nothing. She closed her eyes, trying to center herself, and upon succeeding, opened them.

Yuri was sat silently on the edge of the pool, fully clothed, watching her with his head resting on his fist. "Are you finally up?" He asked quietly. "Uhh... I think so... what happened?" She asked. "Well... I can't say for certain... but... I think the combination of drugs raising your body temperature... warm water and orgasm... kind of overheated you... and you passed out." He said. Her face lit up in embarrassment. "I... I..." He put his hand up to stop her. "You're body wasn't ready... and I should have realized that the moment you started crying... I'm sorry."

 **LEMON END**

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She threw her hands up quickly. "No... I'm the one who passed out." She said. "True... but I'm the one who gave you a drug that was completely untested on humans, telling you that you'd feel even better with it. It's my fault... end of story... I'll just have to keep you sober next time." He laughed. She tried to push herself out of the water, but found her muscles were not too fond of the prospect of lifting anything at all. "Sorry... can you help me out?" She asked.

He grabbed her and lifted her out slowly, using his Aura to dry her off as she surfaced. He passed her her clothes, then reconsidered after a moment. "You need my help?" He asked. She nodded. He smiled, then helped her replace the clothes that had somehow become strewn across the nearby forest floor. His arms swept her up as quickly as he had lowered her. He pulled her against him. "Sorry about tonight, it seems like it wasn't meant to go our way." He smiled. She nodded, smiling back, and he began walking.

He carried her back through the forest slowly, her weight unburdening, but present. She shifted slightly with each step, but his hold was firm enough to ensure she didn't fall. She snuggled closer to his chest, her body completely drained. "Hey... can I sleep while you carry me?" She asked. "I don't mind that, love. If you're tired, go on ahead." He whispered back. She balled herself up a little further, the warmth of his chest and sound of his heartbeat drawing a soft curtain of slumber over her.

Yuri grinned as she drifted off. "You're the second girl to fall asleep in my arms like this." He mused. _I feel bad about what's going to happen... but I'll do my best to make it as painless as possible._ He cringed as he tried to put himself in their situation. _Am... am I really okay with this?_ He shook his head wildly, then nodded to himself. _Yeah... I have to do this... they have to die._

 _So... Sunday... it begins._

 _But that day... it didn't feel like 2 days had passed... it felt like eternity._

Weiss' eyes opened slowly, the daylight bursting clear through the window onto her bed. She shot up, looking around the room. Eventually her eyes fell on Yang, who was perched in her own bed, grinning. "If you're looking for your boyfriend, he went with Blake and Ruby to get breakfast... soooo... spill it... did you two... you know... last night?" She giggled. The hand gesture she made left no mistake as to her meaning, and Weiss' face exploded in embarrassment. "O-ho! You did... that's awesome... so... how was it?" She prodded.

"Well... what I can remember... was pretty great... but... apparently I passed out from heat exhaustion part-way through." She said. "Oh... that... kinda sucks... I'm sure now that you two are together, you'll have plenty of opportunities to go all the way." Yang said. Weiss looked at her carefully, trying her best to choose her next words correctly. "Do...do... you want to keep having sex with him?" She asked. Yang pulled back ever so slightly, seeing the comment as a bit off-color. "W-Why are you asking that Weiss?" She asked.

Weiss smiled brightly. "You see... after seeing how often the two of you were having sex... I don't think I can keep up that kind of energy... and... I think that he'll be happier having someone that he can go to when he needs to unwind... because seeing how high-strung I can be... I might not always be able to help him with that." She explained. Yang frowned for a moment, then shrugged and replaced her grin once more. "Well since you're offering to let your boyfriend fuck my brains out whenever I want... sure! I'm alright with that." She laughed.

Weiss laughed. "Try not to take him from me all of the time, please. Something tells me he's a guy I'll only get one chance with... I don't want to let that chance slip away." She said. Yang nodded. "Sure. Now... they should be getting back any time... they've been gone for a bit." She said. As if on cue, the dorm door slammed open, followed by an ever-excited Ruby prancing inside. "Yumm... breakfast was great!" She cheered. Her hands clutched at her stomach a moment later. "I don't feel so great now."

"That's what happens when you eat to fast, Yuri tried to warn you... but you didn't listen." Blake's voice echoed through the hall. Yuri poked his head in. "All I have to say... is you reap what you sow." He shrugged. He turned to Blake, who had squeezed by him through the door frame. "Hurry up, we need to go meet up with Sun." He said. "Got it... just give me a couple of minutes." She replied. He himself began rummaging through his bags, pulling out a palm-sized red notebook. "I'll be back in a second." He called as he dashed through the doorway.

Yang watched as he left, a smile budding on her lips. "He has to be one of the oddest people that I've ever met." She said. "You're saying that after having slept with him multiple times?" Ruby asked. Yang shrugged. "I knew it then too... I just never cared... besides... considering how good he is in bed... I don't really have a right to complain." She said. Blake sighed, grabbing her blade and straightening the bow on her shirt. "Alright you guys... we'll be back soon." She said.

Weiss glared at her. "I'm not exactly happy that you two are keeping secrets... but... be safe." She said. "We aren't keeping secrets... Yuri asked Sun and I to help him do recon on the White Fang... it shouldn't take us longer than tonight... and Yuri seemed fired up about it... so I promised to help." She explained. "O-Oh... well, like I said, be careful." She told her. "Ruby! Stop slouching and get the history textbook, your grades have started slipping... so you need to be studying." She demanded. Ruby shot up, throwing Weiss a salute. "Yes ma'am... right away!" She giggled.

Blake bid them farewell once more, then stepped out, closing the door behind her. Yuri was stood at the other end of the hall, Sun in tow. "You ready?" He asked. She nodded, and he tossed her a light silver mask, then handed one to Sun. "These are the newest issue, they should get you in no problem." He stated proudly. "What about you?" Sun asked. His long silver hair swept violently as he searched his bags for his own. Blake recognized the mask as the one he had shown her before. "Your ORB mask?" She asked.

He held it at arms length in front of him. "Indeed, but..." He slammed his fist into the upper corner of the white lacquer, cracking it a few inches across. He pulled the shattered pieces apart, leaving the mask intact, but now missing the portion which covered the right eye. Placing it over his face, the visage it offered was more intimidating than either of his companions had expected. His long bangs provided a sharp match to the off-white color of the mask. The only visible feature of his face was his sharp yellow eye.

"Wow... that's kinda scary... you look like you kill people for fun." Sun commented. "That's the point, the more ruthless I look, the less likely anyone present will question me." Yuri said. "That's all well and good... but what exactly are we doing when we get there?" Blake asked. Yuri sighed, removing the mask and retrieving the shards that had broken off from the floor. "They've... been very active for about a month now... of course there are always times where groups become more active... but this seems different... I feel like they're planning something. That's what this is for... we infiltrate, find out if something is going on, then leave." He said.

Sun scratched his head as they began walking to the school entrance. "So we aren't going to stop it... if something really **is** going on?" He wondered aloud. "Of course we are... but not there... no... we're going to the Menagerie... it's one of their most concentrated areas in terms of membership... when we're there, we'll be outnumbered a hundred to one. So... fighting them while they have home field advantage and a numbers advantage... doesn't seem too smart." Yuri explained. Blake nodded in agreement. "The White Fang are dangerous... and they can't be reasoned with... so getting into open combat with them is a horrid idea." She echoed.

"Alright... it sounds like you two know what you're talking about... anyway... we're taking the airship, right?" Sun asked. Yuri nodded. "You two are... the White Fang has been keeping relatively close tabs on me since... well... a while... so I'm gonna cross the ocean." He said. Blake grabbed his hand. "Don't disappear on us... I'm only doing this because **you** asked me to. Stay safe... we'll see you when we get there." She said. "Okay... I'll see you two in a few hours." He told them. Sun winced when Yuri leapt from the landing platform, but upon seeing him land safely atop the water using his Aura, he shrugged and turned to Blake. "Is he going to be alright?" He asked.

She looked down to the water, then nodded. "He's tougher than he seems... I don't think we have to worry about him." She laughed. Sun looked at her, then grinned. "You seem pretty fond of him... even though you've known him for less than a month." He said. "Well... he's... special... I don't think I could describe why... but... I care about him." She said, the blush on her face more than enough proof that her words rang true.

Yuri strode quickly across the ocean, his mind rushing as intensely as the air around him. _Blake and Sun... I'm sorry... I've lied to you about the nature of our mission... but I'll... I'll... I'll make sure you two make it out alive at least._ His eyes lowered, completely focused on the waves below his feet. _Actually... I can't promise that..._ He looked up to the sky, straight to the sun. "Blake... huh... I'm actually kinda sad about this... but... an eye for an eye is only fair... right?"

 _How can you look at me... and not remember what you did? Maybe you forced it out of your mind... but I'll never forget. You will pay the price... an eye for an eye... blood... for blood._

Blake's Scroll chimed brightly in the dimly lit street, as her and Sun made their way to the predetermined meeting point. [I've already scouted ahead... nothing particularly out of place... which is worrisome... regardless... rendezvous at the discussed location.] The message read. "You think he's already tried to get in?" Sun asked, pushing the mask against his face. "Probably not... he wants us to meet up where he talked about before." She said, raising her own to her cheeks.

The pair were quiet as they neared their destination, the typically bustling streets empty and eerily silent. "The people know that the White Fang are meeting today... they're afraid to get in the way or protest because they don't want to be seen as Human sympathizers and killed." Blake noted. "It's sad that we have to be afraid of our own at times like this." Sun said. "Yeah... that's why I'm following Yuri... maybe he can help solve the problem... or at least get others to admit it exists." She said.

Yuri's large frame was visible to the both of them as they rounded the corner. He was leaning against the brick edge of corner store which seemed to have closed its doors hours prior. As they neared him, he spoke. "You two ready to move? It's over there, that guy sitting on the dumpster is our ticket in." He said. They nodded, and began moving slowly to the dark haired man sat silently on a rusted trash can. "How can I help you three?" His gravelly voice croaked from his throat.

Yuri tapped his finger to his right cheek twice, and the man's head nodded. "I see... what kind of Faunus... are you... my friends?" He asked. "Monkey." Sun stated, pulling the end of his tail out. "Cat." Blake said, removing her bow, and lowering her head. "Wolf." Yuri said. The man looked at the three of them, then began staring directly towards Yuri. "You sure you're really a Faunus, kid?" He asked.

Yuri pulled of his mask, and Blake had to stifle a noise of shock. His eyes had taken on a complete canine state, both a starker yellow than they had been previously. His lips curled into a snarl, revealing his now elongated canines. The man shifted uncomfortably on the dumpster, putting his hands up defensively. "Hey... hey, sorry Boss... you know I gotta be safe... that mask'a yours... your a... Leader... ain't ya? I guess that means you're here to see Taurus... huh?" He said nervously.

Blake had to turn away to contain her shock. "Yeah... Taurus and I have... business." Yuri said, pushing his mask back into place. "Well uh... good luck with that... it's just through that door there." The man pointed to a door to their left, down a small alley. The three moved slowly, opening the door, then closing it quietly behind them, leaving them on a dark staircase. "Alright, Blake... see if you can find any documents... I'm going to cause a distraction." He said.

"Wait... that's your plan?" She asked in a hushed fury. "No... Adam Taurus is here... that changes everything." He said. "That... fucking bastard... I **do** have some unfinished business with him... tonight... I'm gonna make him tell me the names of everyone who helped slaughter my friends on his orders... then I'm gonna find them... and slit their fucking throats." He said. He turned to the other two behind him. Specifically looking at Blake. "An eye for an eye is only fair... right?" He asked. Her face told him everything.

 _So... you didn't forget... then I guess you know what's coming... little Blake._


	17. Chapter 16 - Causation of Sorrow

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 16**

Blake watched as Yuri stalked down the stairs. His hands were clenched in anger, and she felt a wave of memories clash on the back of her mind.

" _Hey! Blake! I need you for a week or so." Adam's voice was clear, even over the bustle of the large room. "Oh, what's up?" She replied. He handed her a small white file, which she opened, revealing a slew of photos, the most relevant of which were five faces. Her eyes poured over the information; schedules, contacts, family members, even sexual preferences. "What's all this?" She wondered aloud._

" _Your newest assignment, they're not targets, we just need you to keep an eye on them." He explained. "So... you aren't gonna kill them? Good... he seems pretty young." She said, pointing to one of the photos. "Ahh... he **specifically** , is incredibly important, alright? You need to be on him at all times, even if he breaks off from the rest of them." Adam instructed. She nodded, looking back down at the photo, attempting to burn the face into her mind. Decent looking, even with a mask covering most of his face, with calm yellow eyes that seemed intimidating even in the photo. The most striking feature was his ash colored hair. She slipped the photo into her pocket, nodded to Adam, then left._

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 _She wiped the trails of raindrops from her forehead, the wet, muggy air condensing heavily on every surface available. She had found a suitable vantage point on a walkway a few dozen feet above the street. Her primary target had come into view some time ago, and he had taken a kneeling position on the furthest street corner to the left. Seeing him in person was even intimidating than the photo she had seen, despite him still wearing his mask. His eyes, despite having a soft, kind look, weren't even the least bit timid, and his gaze had scanned over her position more than once, prompting her to lower herself beneath the short wall she had been leaning on._

 _The rest of the group that she had been assigned to arrive, three girls and one boy. They all seemed to be about two or three years older than her, at first glance. Regardless, it seemed as though they were focused completely on the main target. His words, although faint, were those of a commander, softly issuing orders, but he was undoubtedly the one who was truly in control. They spoke and laughed about thwarted plots and apprehended criminals. Blake couldn't help but see them as good people. They didn't seem evil at all, and she found no real reason as to why she should be trailing them._

 _Even with seemingly nothing to worry about from them, she continued to track them around the ins and outs of the Menagerie. She had been at it for just under a month, and had learned so much about them. They referred to each other by an initial, the leader was K, followed by the other four: M, A, N, and L. Not once did they state another of their group's full name, and they seemed satisfied with their system, if not incredibly efficient. Blake had put away her Scroll, and begun making her way back to Adam._

 _ **Bang!**_

 _She felt a body slam straight into her, and toppled over helplessly onto the ground. She turned to see her assailant, and was greeted with a surprise._ It's... K. _The young man was looking at her worriedly. "Are you alright? I'm so sorry, I really need to be more careful." He said, offering her his hand. She took it, using it to pull herself back onto her feet. "I'm- I'm- I'm fine." She managed to force out in reply. "Good." He smiled. His eyes drifted from hers to her bow, and he frowned. "You know... I bet your ears are pretty cute, it's a shame you wear that bow." He winked._

 _Stunned, she couldn't reply, and before she could recompose herself, he had already disappeared. She brushed herself off, turning to see if she could catch a glimpse of him, but to no avail. Looking up to the sky, she let out a solitary laugh, then made her way back to Adam. At that moment, she felt like everything was fine, that K and his friends were safe... and that Adam would let them be._

 _ **...I was wrong...**_

 _A few weeks after her encounter, she arrived at a temporary base that Adam had directed her to. Upon her arrival, she quickly realized that something had happened. No one was present, the entire group who were supposed to have greeted her were absent. Confused, she began to search, looking for some indication as to the location of her comrades._

 _ **...It was like...**_

 _But, no matter how much she searched, there was nothing... no people, no signs of life, no food... no shelters... nothing... then it hit her._

 _ **...It was like Adam had wanted to get me out of the way... like he had wanted me to be too preoccupied with the mission I had been given to see the underlying reasons for sending me out... I figured it all out... but it was too late...**_

 _ **I was... too late...**_

 _ **Everything... changed... the moment I returned to the Menagerie.**_

 _ **He was there.**_

 _ **Standing alone, above their bodies.**_

 _ **The tears pouring from his eyes through the mask told me everything.**_

 _ **Even as he realized I was there, he didn't move, not for a while.**_

 _ **He just held L's hand, sobbing.**_

 _ **Eventually though, he stood up and moved over to me.**_

 _ **He passed me, but I'll never forget his words as he walked by.**_

 _ **Even under the muffled sobs, he growled.**_

" _ **You tore my family from my arms... so I'll tear your heart from your chest."**_

" _ **But you... you aren't worth my wrath. Scum like you, who think they are absolved of the sin, because you didn't touch them... you are the worst... and one day... I'll make you in particular...pay."**_

 _ **He said, as he passed me. His fingers brushed against my cheek, and he turned my face to him.**_

 _ **His eyes were fierce and angry, but he didn't hurt me. I think that was when I broke down.**_

 _ **I had helped Adam cut out the most annoying thorn in his side, without even realizing it.**_

 _ **I had fed him the information on their habits and routines... it was me.**_

 _ **Without me, they'd still be alive.**_

 _ **I returned to Adam... distraught of course... but I didn't tell him that I knew what had happened.**_

 _ **Even still, that event sowed the seeds of my distrust...**_

 _ **A week or so after the incident, we began getting reports of our bases being brought down by a single person.**_

 _ **Our people were left maimed and broken, most unable to tell the tale of the assault.**_

 _ **No one ever saw his face... but I knew.**_

 _ **It was K.**_

 _ **He was taking revenge.**_

 _ **Whatever he was doing... eventually forced us out of the Menagerie in its entirety.**_

 _ **He truly tore our heart out. Our main base in the Menagerie was eliminated, and we were forced out.**_

 _ **I managed to escape from Adam after a few close calls, and soon I had completely forgotten about K.**_

 _ **I can't believe it... Yuri... I'm so sorry.**_

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Blake wiped her eyes, holding her gaze to Yuri's back. _I wanted to forget everything... all of it... I'm surprised I didn't realize it until just now... I wonder why he hasn't said anything._ "Yuri?" She said. He turned around, the same eye from two years ago staring right to her. "Yeah?" He asked. _There's nothing. No rage, no hate. He can't have forgotten... so why?_ "Uh... what do you want us to do?" She asked. "I'm going to wade into whatever meeting room they have, then when Taurus gets out, I'm going to call to him. Once he realizes who I am, he won't hold back. You two, use that time to get into the back and scan any documents you find." He said.

Sun nodded, then waved Blake along. "We need to get to it, you go ahead, and we'll slip in when you give the signal... uh... what's gonna be the signal?" He asked. "I'll... Get one of them to scream... that'll be it." Yuri said. "Scream?" Sun asked. "Yeah, I'll uh... poke him in the back with my sword and tell him to scream." Yuri said. "I'm sure that'll get everyone's attention." He nodded. "Look, Adam Taurus being here changes a lot of what my original plan would have been... but it also gives us a few more options." He finished.

He stepped slowly down the staircase, his right hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of Hope. Near the end, the slant devolved into a two way hall. Yuri put up his finger, straining to listen closely. He pointed down the right hall. "You two go that way, I'll go this way, it seems the bulk of the group is down the left." He said. Blake and Sun began slowly moving down their hall, Yuri already near the end of his.

As Blake rounded the edge of the corner, she and Sun were greeted with a door-less opening to a small, unlit room. Upon inspection, it was filled with little more than a few chairs and an office desk. She made her way to it, running her fingers across the across the artificial surface. She stopped on a small piece of the edge that was slightly raised. She pressed down softly, and a small compartment near her fingers popped out from the side.

She pushed her hand into the opening, finding it empty save a small plastic chip in the very back. "It's a data chip... probably from a Scroll." She said as she pulled it out. "You think that's what Yuri was looking for?" Sun asked. She pressed the chip against her scroll, receiving a garbled error message from the device. "It's... encoded... pretty heavily, seeing as how my Scroll can't decipher a lot of it. But I am able to see two words... and they're probably pretty important." She said. "What words?" Sun asked. "Train... and... Atlas." She answered.

Before either could ponder exactly what the words were referring to, a scream pierced the stagnant air around them. She slipped the chip into her pocket and waved Sun down the hall. As they sprinted around the corner, they could hear the clashing of blades coming from the open door at the other end of the hall. As they reached the room, they enormous crowd of people was open at the center. They pushed their way to the center, and found their friend locked in combat with someone that they had not expected.

Their swords continued to slash against one another. Yuri was fervently pressing his strength against his attacker, a hooded figure wielding a katana of seemingly the same make as his. They continued their bout for another half a minute or so, before Yuri's opponent made an error, striking slightly higher than they like intended to. Nonetheless, he took the opportunity to duck under their strike and deliver a crushing blow with his empty hand to their stomach.

The strike lifted them several feet in the air, but they managed to keep themselves righted as they landed, sliding back a meter or so. The force blew off her hood, revealing her long, black hair and familiar face. It took Blake a few moments, but Yuri's comment confirmed her suspicions. "It's been a while... dear sister of mine." He said with a grimace. Her huffing attempts to regain a normal breathing pattern failing, she responded. "Ughhh... I have to admit... you've become quite impressive... sweet brother Drake... regardless... it's good to see you." She smiled. Yuri's hand slid to his face, slowly removing his mask. The smile spread on his lips both somehow excited and wistful.

" _It's nice to see you too... my sweet Miana."_


	18. Chapter 17 - Control Struggle

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 17**

" _Well... brother? What do you think?" Her sharp voice pierced the tender silence between the trees. I couldn't fault her for her pitch... she was just as young as I was, and it wasn't like my voice was much deeper. "It's a work in progress... I suppose. It's heavy... and the hilt is... well... rough." I said. My fingers brushed the steel edge of the blade. It was sharp, but had redundant tempers. I slid it back into its plain black sheath, where it settled with an ungraceful clank._

" _Sister... you have to learn to use as little material as possible when you forge, the more you use, the heavier and less refined your blade becomes." I said. She looked at me, her cheeks puffed in frustration. "Can you fix it?" She asked. I pulled it back from the sheath. "With Runic?" I questioned. She nodded. "Your Semblance is incredible, and I really want to see this blade at its best." I sighed. Sliding my index and middle fingers against the long of the blade. "Dagaz." I whispered. A small symbol hovered at the tips of my fingers, before fading into the blade._

 _Its weight dipped immediately, the stress on my small arm alleviated. Her face lit up with glee, and I handed her the blade. She tossed it into the air letting the blade bury itself into the ground. "It's so sharp now... and light!" She giggled. She pulled it out, wiping the dirt from the tip, then handing it back to me. "Your Semblance is sooo cool, I'm just stuck being a Royal." She said. "Sister... my Semblance is unnatural. I was born with it, but not like most are. I feel... like it's... evil, like... uh... I just can't explain it." I moaned._

 _She ignored my complaint. "Hey, hey. Can you tell me the Runes you were born with again?" She asked. I sighed again, shrugging my shoulders. "I don't know why you care... but fine." I said. Sucking in a breath, I prepared my Semblance. "_ _ **Dagaz... light, purifying body. Ehwaz, passage, movement without effort. Hagalaz, destruction, unstoppable energy. Jera, abundance, everlasting harvest. Ansuz, sight, unerring vision. Pethro, change, powerful evolution. Berkano, companionship, unfaltering devotion. Algiz, resistance, unbreakable will.**_ _" I heaved out the air in my lungs, my small body ready to give in right there._

 **Yeah... I remember back then... we used to be so close. I remember when the quadruplets were born... we packed everything up and moved into the city. The change was drastic for Miana and I, her Faunus qualities and small frame made her an immediate target for the humans who still had ill intent towards Faunus, and I was unable to intervene due to my own lack of strength. Of course... I looked human... and the humans didn't bother me.**

 **Even still, Miana was stronger than I would have been, and eventually, that was proven. I think it was... two years later, when I finally had enough. Yeah... seeing my sister and to an extent my other siblings be treated like sub-human trash... that changed me. That was when... I started hearing the voices... they echoed in my head like firecrackers, and it drove me insane. But even the insane can sound rational when you don't understand the world for what it is.**

 **So they mislead me, telling me that they would give me the power to change the treatment of my family, but only if I listened. So I did listen, and it was one of the worst decisions of my life. I sat in my room alone for a few months, just listening to them. For some reason that at the time escaped me, I slowly lost my Semblance, my Runes losing their virility. The voices spoke of my own Royalty, the ability to have unstoppable Aura. They spoke of my latent strength, and that if I offered the right things, I could attain that strength.**

 **Ehheh, if I'd known what it took for me to get my Royalty, I'd have stayed normal. I emerged from my room, and grabbed a rifle from my father's forge. I wanted to stop... but at that point... I had lost control. I had to watch in horror as the voices took over, forcing me out of my own body. I knew what was coming... and I couldn't stop it. I lost all of my senses to this... thing. When I finally awakened in that mass grave... I knew that I was lost. I remember the rotting flesh... the stench of death unmistakable. But I didn't run... no... for some reason I stayed... all the blood... I comforted me.**

 _I want to go back._

Blake's eyes widened in shock and horror as Yuri became engulfed by the black mass. Miana backed away slowly from it, a smile still faint on her face. A blur zipped from the mass, slipping through the crowd and into her shoulder. The mass dissipated shortly after, and it was clear to Blake that the blur was Yuri. Miana realized it too, but only after her arm separated from her body and dropped to the floor. "Your strikes are unbelievable... Brother." She laughed.

Despite the grievous wound, blood seemingly refused to spill from it. Yuri stepped towards her once more, his blade slashing through her other shoulder. Her face contorted with pain, and she began mouthing a scream. Her now limp right arm dropped the blade that she had been holding, and the smile morphed into an angry grimace. "You... how long are you going to ruin his life?" She asked. Yuri gave her a grin. "He let me in... he knew the consequences." The voice that emanated from him was familiar to Blake.

"He let you in? You took control when he didn't understand what you were... you're a pure evil being... and I know deep down he didn't want you." She growled. "Well... he's got me... and right now... he wants Black and White to die more than anything, and I'm gonna make sure he gets what he wants." He laughed, then turned to Blake. "You... you fucked us quite badly that day... we will be sure to repay you tenfold for it... but for now... where is Taurus?" He asked.

She gave Blake a look, and shocked her brother's friend by reaching down, taking her arm off of the floor, and reattaching it. Her own black, thick Aura took a slimy quality as it slurped across her arm. Her other arm followed suit, and soon she seemed as able as when her and her brother were locked in combat. "Man... making me waste my Aura on healing... you prick. Why should I tell you where he is? It's not like he wants to see you here you-" "Not so fast, Miana... I've been hoping that you'd come here... Mr. Greymoor."

Blake turned to the door where they had entered, **and** most of the other members had flooded out, hearing a very familiar voice. _Adam... he really is here... this isn't good._ Yuri turned to him an excitedly evil grin plastered on his face. "Oooohhh, hey there, fuckface... I was wondering if you were really here... good to see you are." He snarled. "Come now... there's no need to get-" Adam's words were interrupted by a blade slicing into his side.

He spun around, clutching the fresh wound. Yuri, or rather, a second Yuri stood behind him. This one was clad in the same cloak as the original, yet white, and bearing an odd gait as he walked forward. "What... you thought there was just one of us? Heh, there's two... as you can see. He's Yuri... I'm Kallen." The figure smiled, then teleported to Blake. "The chip, hand it over." It said. Slowly, she followed the instructions, passing the chip she collected to it.

"Hmm... what do you think... stay and finish them... or wait?" It asked the darkened Yuri. "Let's retreat for now... as much as I'd like to kill Taurus here... this isn't the time, besides, we know his next move, and he's wounded... let's move out." It said. The black one turned to Blake, then jumped toward her. His fingers wrapped around her face, and she felt her consciousness slip away. The black one lifted her into his arms. "Sun... you remember what we talked about?" He said. Sun nodded. "Is it gonna hurt?" He asked. "I have a feeling you asked that once before... yes... it will." He said.

The white one dashed forward and did an identical motion to Sun, its fingers pressed firmly to his skull. Sun felt his vision fade away, and he slumped over. The white one lifted him over its shoulder, then turned to Adam. "Taurus... sister... thank you for your cooperation, as we said when we last spoke, Black and White must die. Are the terms still agreeable?" It asked. Adam grimaced, then nodded. "I haven't chased you out... right? So go, before I do." He said.

The two Yuri's waved goodbye to their sister, who seemed more than unhappy with the situation. Regardless, she nodded to them, and they carried their unconscious comrades out of the now empty building. "Should we give him back control now, brother?" The white one asked. "Not just yet, let's get these two back first, then we'll let him decide the next move." The other responded. "Very well, let us make haste then, the world isn't going to destroy itself... after all."

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Blake's eyes fluttered, her heart pounding despite her sleep being dreamless and empty. She knew something was wrong. She shot up out of her bed, met with a horrific sight. Yang sat at the edge of the bed, clutching her stomach in pain, and Ruby was lying in a small pool of blood, the backs of her legs covered with shallow, yet painful looking gashes. Blake gave a ragged gasp, and Yang turned to her. "Oh good, you're awake." She said. Blake looked around the room, then back to Yang. "Okay... I can see that everything is not alright... what happened?" She asked.

"Well... it's a bit complicated."


	19. Interlude To Devastation

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 18**

Yang's ragged breaths spurted from her as she looked to Blake. "Yuri... attacked us... took Weiss... but... I don't understand..." She started. "I'll tell her, Sis." Ruby interjected. "Yuri busted in here with you, then put you on the bed. Before we really had any chance to speak to him, he knocked Weiss out and sliced my legs. Sis jumped in, but even as exhausted as he was, she had no chance. But... he told us he **wanted** us to come after him... then he took Weiss and left... you woke up just a little later." She explained.

Blake's mind was a mess, an echo of her recent adventure alongside Yuri drifting in and out of focus. _"Black and White... have to die."_ His voice rang angrily in her ears. She shook her head, a pulsating ache driving into her skull. "So... what are we going to do about it?" She asked. "Well... once the bleeding slows down a bit, I'm going to take Ruby to the infirmary. Would you mind going to Ozpin and explaining the situation once you're up to it?" Yang asked.

Blake nodded, trying to push herself off of her stomach, but finding it difficult. "I'll... go to him when I can move. What are we gong to do about Yuri, though?" She asked. "Well... we should go after him... I mean, he's got Weiss... so we at least have to get her back... but how do we find him?" Ruby moaned. It was clear that the single cut on the back of her legs was deep enough to keep her from standing, let alone walking.

Yang pointed to Weiss' bed. "He made her leave her Scroll... it has his biometrics on it, remember?" She said. "So... he wants us to use it to track him... but my question... is why did he take Weiss? I mean, she doesn't have anything in particular that we don't... other than money... and he has plenty of that." She said. "Yeah... I mean... he has to have some reason other than just wanting to take one of us hostage... if that were the case, he would have just taken me... since he already had me knocked out." Blake noted. "So... why her?"

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Yuri dropped Weiss down onto the bed, her arms wrapped around his neck. She pulled on him slightly as he tried to separate himself from her. "Where are you going? Are the others okay?" She asked. "Ruby will be out of commission for a bit, but she'll heal up just fine. Yang and Blake are otherwise unhurt. They'll come after me in about a week, two at the most." He smiled. "Black and White have to die... what does that mean?" She questioned. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I'll explain it a bit better soon... I just need you to wait for a bit..." He told her. She nodded, then drifted off to sleep. "Goodnight, sweetie... just hang on for a bit." He whispered. Closing the door to his room, his mother smiled as she hugged him. "I don't know the situation... but I'm here for you, love." She said. "Thanks mom... I don't need much... just my room." He smiled. "That's fine, now... if you'll excuse me, I'm too tired to stay up any longer, goodnight." She said, waving to him.

He attempted to close his door, only to be thwarted by Anna. "You're not going to say hello?" She pouted playfully. "Sorry, my dear sister. Mother told me you weren't feeling well, so I wanted to let you sleep." He smiled. "Oh... well I'm not doing **that** bad dear brother... you should still come by to see me." She moaned. "Yeah, yeah, I get it." I laughed. "So... that girl is... Weiss... right? Does she know about the plan?" She asked.

I shook my head, looking to the door. "I'll tell her soon, but... you understand why I can't just yet... I want to... I don't want them to hate me... but after this is over... if they do, I can't blame them for it." I said somberly. "I suppose... but once it's over... maybe they'll see it the right choice. Black and White have to die, and you're willing to fight until your last breath to see that happen, right?" She said. She was trying to cheer me up, to steel me, so I would be prepared for the worst.

"Thanks little sis, I'll be alright no matter what happens. I promise." I said. She nodded. "You know I'll help you through it, it's not like what you're going to do is easy, so I'll be on standby at a distance, just in case you need to call for my help." She promised. I kissed her cheek and patted her on the head. "Go to sleep. I'm not going to need you for a bit, little one." I laughed. We bade each other goodnight, and I pushed my door back open.

Weiss was fast asleep on my bed her arms wrapped warmly around the sheets. _She looks comfortable, good. I don't want this to be painful for her... I don't want it to be painful for anyone._ I walked slowly over to her, doing my best to make as little noise as possible. I leaned down and kissed her forehead softly. "There are no words that are worthy enough to express the level for which I care for you... my love." I said. She stirred slightly, but only to shift herself somewhat.

 _ **I wonder if they're even aware of what's ahead... hell... am I even aware of it?**_

 __ **Get hype, motherfuckers! Next chapter is going to be a big one, both plot wise and length wise. Unfortunately for all you loyal readers, it won't be up until a bit after the New Year, since I'm going to spend quite a bit of time with my family.**

 **Much love to you all. Also, if you haven't left even a single review, please be sure to go to the chapter that** _YOU_ **think needs the most work and tell me what you'd like to see done better. After all, I don't grow without constant feedback from you readers. Thanks.**


	20. Chapter 19 - Monument (Part 1 of 3)

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 19**

Weiss pushed herself up from her stomach, where she had likely shifted herself during her sleep. Her body was sore, and her head was pounding with an unbearable ache. Her mind was filled with questions, but a quick glance around the room revealed no one to direct them to. She recalled being taken by Yuri after he had assaulted her teammates, but other than that, she had no recollection of current events.

She stood up, despite finding it rather difficult, then walked over to the other side of the barren room. She ran her hands along the wall, then let them fall back to her sides. The cold, lifeless room offered her no answers as to her whereabouts, but she had a sneaking suspicion that she had been there before. Her head throbbed, a sharp ringing shooting through her ears. She clasped her hands together tightly, trying to endure the anguish.

She clenched her eyes shut, her fruitless attempts to to ignore the pain taking everything out of her. An instant before she was certain she would have collapsed, she felt a pair of hands softly holding her cheeks, then a pair of lips on her forehead. Her eyes opened slowly, and she wrapped her arms around the figure. "You're fine... just take a breath... slowly now... you've been asleep for a few days... and your mind hasn't caught up." Yuri's voice said.

She took a few breaths, then pushed away. The pain in her head had subsided a great deal, and Yuri's presence had brought a significant amount of comfort to her. "Why did that hurt so much?" She asked. "I used a bit of Aura to suppress your thoughts... this put you to sleep with ease, but I was hoping to wake you up myself... however, that didn't seem to be what fate had in store for the two of us. Because your mind tried to force itself awake, it likely brought on a massive headache." He smiled.

"Is that all... of the pain, I mean?" She asked. "Well... this is the first time I used Aura for that specifically, so I can't say for certain. But if it's stopped hurting, there shouldn't be any reason for it to start up again." He explained. "Alright... now... where are we exactly?" She asked. "Oh... we're at my home in Atlas." He said. "That's what I thought when I woke up." She said. "Why here?" She questioned.

His head darted to the sides, looking around the empty, windowless room. "This place is close... tell me something... there's a train that departs and arrives at Schnee headquarters at a very specific interval... where is it now?" He asked. She looked puzzled. "Well... if it's been three days... then that would make it Wednesday. Hmm... it... should be getting ready for the return trip... which should start tomorrow... why?" She asked.

He pointed to his Scroll, which was tilted on the wall, next to the door. "I've been pouring over the data from the chip that I took from the White Fang. It's garbled... likely on purpose, but... there is still pertinent information that couldn't be hidden. Information that explained the entirety of their plan to me... and they didn't even notice." He laughed. "What information could tell you everything that they didn't hide?" She asked.

"Six words, my love, six words: Train, Atlas, Dust, Schnee, Solo, Sunday." He said. "In my view... they intend on discreetly planting explosives on the Schnee train while the miners are at work... then wait for the train to depart, and on it's way back to Atlas, Adam Taurus is going to board the train mid-travel to ensure that it reaches its destination. Upon which, he will detonate it, causing a powerful reaction with the Dust that will... well upon estimation... level the entirety of the Atlas capital." He explained.

"Actually... Dust... is volatile enough... that they could use a simple spark to set it off... especially considering that it's raw." She said. "Well... that makes nailing down the location of the explosive difficult. And here I was hoping that we could head to lower Atlas and take care of this first... I guess that's a no go." He seemed rather unfazed in her view, but the situation that he had just presented seemed more than hopeless.

"How do you expect us to stop them when the train is moving?" She asked. He laughed a little. "Well that'd be the kicker... we won't be able to... MIANA! Get in here." He shouted. The door slammed open, revealing the dark haired girl, clad in a light pink dress that didn't very well match her. "Hello there dear Brother... so you're intent on stopping Taurus, eh... well... I suppose I should help you." She giggled.

He started to reply, but she shushed him, before wrapping her arms around his neck. "Before you say anything, let... me apologize for the previous Sunday... It was arrogant of me to attempt to fight you, doubly so since I actually believed for a moment that I may have been able to beat you." She giggled. "Ah well... it's not as though you haven't been practicing yourself. I... apologize for... well... removing your arms... regardless of the fact that you can grow them back." He said.

"Well... I was going to chastise you on that front, I mean... we meet again for the first time in nearly a decade, and you greet me with dismemberment, it's unfathomable, really. Ah well... no harm... no foul, I suppose." She smiled. "Speaking of unfathomable... Ms. Schnee... it's... more than surprising to see you here... although... why her, and not the Black One?" She asked Yuri. "Eh... heheh... well... I need someone with information on the Atlas area, including certain... buildings... and Weiss seemed to me to be the best option." He explained.

She nodded, obviously content with his answer, then turned to Weiss. "So... should I continue calling you Ms. Schnee? Or will you soon be changing to Mrs. Greymoor... or Kallen, in his case?" Miana asked. Weiss' face was beet red, her eyes doing all they could to avoid the other girl's piercing gaze. "Umm... sorry for... showing up unannounced, even if it was him who brought me here." She said, trying desperately to avoid the topic.

"Oh no, not at all, I doubt our mother or have a problem with letting you stay for a while, especially as a guest of their favorite child." She giggled. "Favorite?" Yuri asked. "Oh dear... our parents love us all dearly... but... it's hard not to see the way they treat you as being... a little different. Oh don't give me that look, I don't think it's bad or anything, and I don't mind at all. Just know that it's there." She said.

"By the way... was... umm... the two most recent high profile murders... I assume you are the culprit, yes?" She asked. "It doesn't bother me, of course, these people were causing undue unrest in the population... and they were threats to true peace." She followed. "They were important members of the White Fang. You thought that you could scare the lesser members into staying out of the upcoming plan, right? Well... it worked... I haven't seen a single message of solidarity towards Taurus' plan... people think he's cursed cause of what he did to you before." She laughed.

Weiss looked between the siblings, her confusion plain and heavy on her face. "What did you do now?" She asked. "I uh... I... uh... killed some people, they were White Fang members with a lot of pull in the organization." He said. "And... you killed them... that's what you're saying... huh... I... want to tell you that's wrong... but... I think you already know that." She said. "Yeah... well as easy as it was to end their lives... it didn't make it any more enjoyable." He laughed nervously.

"Hey you all! It's dinner time!" Diana shouted up to them. Upon the mention of food, Weiss perked up considerably. "Oh good... I'm really hungry... are you eating, Yuri?" She asked. "Of course, our Mother made the food for us, and although none of us other than you need to eat very often, we do eat to show our thanks for her work." He explained. "Oh... I guess all Royals have that weird quirk... I'll never understand how Aura makes you able to go so long without eating... but I guess I've been around you long enough to know you're being truthful about it." Weiss giggled.

The three of them made their way to the dining room quickly. Weiss took the time to get a decent look at the home, as she hadn't done so the last time she had been there. The house was bland, which was honestly what she had expected, but was also covered in pictures of the Greymoor family. Yuri was easy to pick out in each of them, and after a certain point, was accompanied by a tiny girl who Weiss could only assume was Anna.

She sat at the large table beside Yuri. Diana giggled when she turned from the kitchen counter to her son. "I know I told you it was ready... but give me a minute to finish everything else, dear." She laughed. Her gaze moved to Weiss, and she smiled kindly. "We are Wolf Faunus' so when we do eat, it's usually comprised of mostly meat. Is that alright with you?" She asked. "Oh, uh, that's fine... I suppose I should have figured that you guys eat more meat than anything." She grinned happily.

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"Where are they at right now?" Blake asked. "Uhhhhh... they're at his parents' house I believe." Yang said. "Huh? Why there? Is he even trying to run from us?" Ruby pondered. "Not like it matters... I know we all want Weiss back... but none of us have any chance of taking Yuri down in a fight... not even four on one." She finished. Blake's mind returned to the previous Sunday, where she had watched him tear his own sister's limbs off without hesitation.

She shuddered at the though of that happening to any of them, then wondered if Yuri would really do something like that to any of Team RWBY. "He's ridiculously strong... I don't even think he knows just how powerful he actually is, but that's why we have to take this seriously... fighting him head on is a no go." Blake noted. "Then I suppose that would mean it would be best to take Weiss back when his guard is down... is his guard ever really down though?" Yang asked.

"I suppose not... ever since his friends died, I'm sure he's been watching his back, expecting death to try and take him as well... of course... maybe... he's has something else in mind?" Blake wondered. "What do you mean?" Ruby asked. "Well, think about it... if he wanted to kill us... he would have done it when he came to take Weiss, but he didn't... so maybe he has some other goal... maybe he need us for something... like a plan he has." Blake explained.

"I mean... I guess that might be true, but if it was, why not just ask us directly? I'm sure all of us would be willing to help him if he just asked!" Yang stated angrily. Her eyes darted between her remaining teammates, stopping on Ruby's bandaged thighs. "How are your legs feeling, sis?" She asked. "Oh, they're fine now... apparently Yuri left a bit of his Aura on his blade when he cut me, and the wounds started healing before you had even taken me to the infirmary." She smiled.

"And you're stomach, Yang? How's that doing?" Blake asked. "Oh uh, it was causing me some problems on Monday, but it's stopped since then." She stated proudly. "Alright then... I propose that we take what little time we have to try and figure out Yuri's angle!" Ruby shouted. "Well... that's not too bad of an idea, actually... when do you think we should make our move on him?" Blake asked. "Let's leave this Friday night... he's in Atlas, right? So we should take the next two days to try and figure out what's going on." Yang said.

"Great! Blake... you and I will head to the Menagerie, since Ozpin has excused Team RWBY from class for the time being. Yang! You talk to old Ozzy and see if you can find out why exactly he brought Yuri here. Blake, are you ready to go?" She asked. Blake nodded, and stood up. Ruby hopped off of her bunk waving her sister a quick goodbye.

As they closed the dorm door, Yang pondered what reason Ozpin really had in bringing Yuri to Beacon. _Yuri is unimaginably strong... but nothing really makes me think he has any desire to be a Huntsman... sure he's killed Grimm... but I don't sense the drive to erase them from him. If I can tell, there's no way Ozpin didn't see it already. So... WHY?_

"Why did I bring Yuri here, you ask?" Ozpin questioned. Yang nodded and he shifted his chair slightly. "Hmm... there are many types of people in this world, ranging from those who seek out a pleasure and satisfaction, to people who simply desire to live their lives alone, peacefully. If I had to say, I'd venture that Yuri is someone who was born the kind of person he is... one who above all else, survives. That to me, was something I saw in him the moment we met." He said with a blank stare.

He curled his fingers together, then rested his chin on them. "Many of the students here have a desire to crush the Grimm, and whether their reasons are to protect, or even if it's for revenge, the end result is that they've taken an honorable path. But Yuri... he seems to have a path all his own, and whether his desires are righteous or not... I intend to see what he makes of his life." Ozpin explained. "So... you brought him here to keep an eye on him, eh? Well... I don't see how that could help us figure out what he's trying to do... sir... what is your opinion of Yuri?" Yang asked.

"My opinion? Well... to be honest with you... I don't understand him too well... I am aware that the two of you have had a number of illicit encounters... but other than the things I can see from him... I don't think I have any pertinent information that could assist you girls in your attempt to uncover his motives. My apologies." He smiled. "Is that so... ah well... I'm sure that-" She started. "Actually... wait a moment, I just realized that it was Wednesday." Ozpin said.

He rifled silently through his desk, before pulling out a small red notebook. He tossed it to her, and she fumbled slightly in surprise. "What's this?" She asked. "He gave it to me, just before he left with Ms. Schnee... he asked me to give it to you on Wednesday, which just so happens to be today." He smiled. "I see, thanks Oz! See ya later!" Yang shouted as she rushed from his office.

 _I can't wait to see what's in the book... but I should probably wait until sis and Blake get back tonight. Wait... didn't Oz say he knew about us? Oh... my... god... I think I may die!_ She stamped her foot on the ground in embarrassment. "I can't believe I didn't catch that when he said it." She laughed nervously. "Ugh... well, I don't know what's in this notebook, but it could be a good lead on Yuri... I wonder what those two are up to." She said.

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"So where are we headed first, Blake?" Ruby asked. "Heh, so you decided to head out here without knowing where you were going? I shouldn't be surprised... that's just who you are." Blake giggled. "Well... that's why I was alright with you coming along, I'm not really familiar with the Menagerie, but I knew that you've been here before. So... I was hoping you knew what to look for." She smiled innocently.

"I get it... well... Weiss said that Yuri stopped at a bar when they were here before... I just have to remember where she told me it was." Blake said. "Until then... let's just walk until we see something interesting." She told her. "Sounds good. I didn't realize that Yuri was a drinker... I'd have never known." Ruby laughed. "Well... we don't know why he was in the bar... but... I don't suppose drinking is so unbelievable." Blake said.

They walked on through the empty streets in silence. "You know... it's really quiet... you'd think that on a nice evening like this, there would be a plethora of people enjoying themselves out here... but this place seems... dead." Blake noted. "Yeah... why do think people are staying in?" She asked. "I... think it may have something to do with this." Blake said, pulling out her Scroll. "Uh... yeah... a few days ago two incredibly well known Faunus were murdered... I guess people right now are just really scared..." Blake said.

They arrived at the bar, which they almost missed while talking to each other. They opened the door to find it too, was also empty, save for a lone man attending to the bar in the back. "You girls seem a little young to be here... well, at least you do, Red." The man said in a gruff voice. "Uh... someone we know has been said to frequent this bar... we were hoping you could help us with him." Blake murmured.

"Hmm... you're a decent looking girl, Black... I think I know who you're going on about... but I consider him a very dear person to this place... all of the Menagerie in fact... so tell me, why should I just give you information about him?" He asked. He had a scarred face, and oily black hair that covered his left eye. His hand trailed the short stubble on his chin as he looked the two over.

"He's our friend... and he wants us for something... we just don't know what." Blake stated. "Hmm... you're his friends, eh... Yuri doesn't keep many friends... so prove it." He said. "Yuri has sex almost everyday with my sister... I also think he's slept with another of my teammates... but I'm not sure." Ruby piped up. The man looked to her, then burst into laughter. "Is that so? Well... if he's like that with you girls... I guess I could tell you some things... what do you want to know?" He asked.

 _Hopefully... we can understand why we're still alive... things don't make sense yet... but maybe after this... we will._


	21. Chapter 20 - Curse Bearer (2 of 3)

**RWBY: Grey Chapter 19 (Part 2)**

"You see... it's like this... Marx and Diana kinda met when they never should have, Marx's family was 100% human, and Diana's 100% Faunus." The man began. He pulled a half-empty bottle of golden whiskey from beneath his counter. He waved it at Ruby and Blake. "I don't suppose you two drink?" He asked. When they shook their heads, he sighed, then poured a bit of whiskey into a small shot glass near the bar's edge.

"Well... anyway. Their parents were the children of soldiers who had fought in the Faunus Wars... if you've met them already, I'm sure you can deduce which side they each come from." He said. They nodded and he did the same. "Their families, since birth, had tried to instill a hatred towards the others' race. But... it never quite took with either, in fact, after meeting Marx, and knowing him long enough, it was clear that his tastes were quite... exotic." He laughed.

"Exotic?" Ruby asked. "He refused to even give a girl the time of day unless she was a Faunus." He explained. "Ah, I see." She said. "Well, as I was getting to... At some point, the force of their parents trying to enforce their worldviews on them made them uneasy, and they both happened to end up here, trying to get away for a little bit." He said.

"And they ran into each other and fell in love instantly, right?" Blake asked. "They despised each other, for the good part of a year too! I think at one point they both said that the other made them think that their parents might have been right." He laughed. "So what happened?" Ruby asked. "To be completely truthful, I don't rightly know. They disappeared for about six months, then when they returned, Diana was pregnant with the twins." He said.

"I can't imagine what changed between them in that time span, but they were truly smitten with one another." He said. "So... they just disappeared for half a year, and nobody knows where they went or anything like that?" Blake asked. "No... I know that they ended up running to Vacuo... but they're pretty... well... tight-lipped about what happened afterwards." He said with a shrug.

"So... they came back, then what?" Ruby asked. "Well... their families eventually decided that they just wanted them to be happy, especially when they found out that Diana was pregnant." He said. "I suppose that makes sense." Ruby said. "Yeah, well... they sort of settled down and started getting along. When the twins were born, it was like they had been a friendly group all along." He laughed. "Oh you should have seen her. Miana was spritely, and always had a tiny, toothless grin on her face."

"What about Yuri?" Blake asked. "He was sick, born with an illness that should have ended his life before he left the womb... but I'm sure as you know, he's rather stubborn, so he survived despite the poor prognosis." He said with a grin. "You could tell that he was in pain, even when he was just a baby. He would never, ever, cry, but you could see it in his face." He said. His cheerful visage had become considerably somber.

"I feel like this is about to get dark." Blake noted. He nodded. "After a few months, Diana suggested to Marx that they take their newborns to the wilds, as Drake might need to get away from the city, what with all of the pollution running rampant around here." He said. "I didn't see Drake for the next nine years... but in that time something happened, and I have a suspicion as to what that might be." He finished.

He cleared his throat before beginning once more. "After their second round of children, Marx and Diana decided that they needed to return to the city, which they did, hoping that the time they had given Drake was enough." He said. "So they came back... then what?" Ruby asked excitedly. "So, they came back, and stopped in to see me once they did, you know, to introduce the new additions." He started.

"Drake had grown up, and I'm talking a massive change. From a tiny infant to someone who looked like they were about to start puberty, keep in mind that at this point, he was six." He said. "What was he like at that time?" Blake asked. "Hmmm... let's see, he... was very quiet, I think he greeted me when his parents explained who I was. Oh, he also asked about the taste of alcohol, which was a very strange question, especially for someone of his age." He said.

"Ummm... what happened next? Let's see... ah... they left after introducing the newborns... then I didn't see Drake again for a few months." He started once more. "He came back... just kinda walked in, after they'd been here a while... sat down on one of the stools... that was it... he just sat there... staring off into space... after a few hours... he stood up and left." He said.

"But that was just the first time he came in... the second time... I talked to him, even though that goes against my policy." He said. "Policy?" Blake questioned. "This is a bar... people come here for two reasons... to drink, and to meet others... if I'm talking to them, they can't very well do either." He laughed. "But Drake was the son of two people I had considered friends. So his apparent distress weighed on me. You know what he told me?" He asked them.

When they both shook their heads, he began. "He said that Miana was being bullied... and it bothered him." He said. "But that wasn't the weird thing... it was what he told me after I explained that some people are just pieces of shit... he said that he should be the one getting bullied... that because he was strong, he could take it... something about that... didn't sit right with me..." He said. "Eventually, I realized what it was... his eyes were different... darker... angrier. But I realized it too late... by that time, what had happened was already in the news." He said.

"What did happen?" Ruby asked. "The police had gotten word that some families had seemingly disappeared over the course of a week... when they searched the houses, they found them... alive, but grievously mutilated... I'm talking impalement, immolation, dismemberment... what a horrifying sight that must have been." He shook his head, attempting to dispel the images that arose.

"Are you sure he did it?" Blake asked. He nodded. "He told me he did... but he had changed again by that point... he had become somber... more like he is now." He finished. "Did he tell you anything then... something that could explain why he took our friend?" Blake asked. "That depends, I'd need to know who exactly your friend is before I could say." He said. "Weiss Schnee." Ruby answered. The man's face paled as the name left her lips.

"I see... that bodes poorly for you girls." He said. "Why... what does he want with her?" Blake asked. "Well... I don't know specifically. I can only repeat what he's told me in person." He started. "Hurry up! For all we know he's moving right now, and we can't spend all this time listening to stories!" Ruby groaned. "Alright, alright! Jeez... kids have no patience these days!" He said.

"After he came in that time, he disappeared again, about six months, then I started seeing him around regularly. He was... kind of just watching, helping people who were... you know, garnering undesirable attention." He said. "People getting harassed by gangs and petty criminals." Blake translated. He nodded. "Everyone was so much more at ease when he was around..." He continued.

"I didn't think much of it until a girl came in for a drink... she struck up a conversation with another patron who had just come in from being saved by Drake. She asked him what Drake requested in return for saving him, and the guy told her he just squeezed his arm really tight for a minute." He said. "When the guy asked her the same question, her response is what baffled me." He continued. "He told her to sleep with him, and that was after she had offered him money." He said.

"It seemed strange to me that a teenager would be asking for something like that... then I pieced it together." He said. "He was using them to help kill his pain?" Blake asked. "Well now... you sure figured it out quick, Miss." He said. "Yeah... he was just using them to have a break from his poor health." He explained. "Anyway... he disappeared again, another half a year... but when he returned, he had a group with him. So I asked him about them." He started.

"I'm guessing this was ORB." Blake said. He nodded. "That's right... One Righteous Blood, was what he probably told you it meant, right?" He asked. Blake nodded. "That wasn't what it used to mean, it meant "Our Royal Bond" but... he changed it after they died." He said. "Regardless... this is the part you're gonna want to listen to, little Missy." He directed at Ruby. He ensured that he had her full attention before continuing.

"One particular memory is still fresh in my mind. It was a day that they were the only ones here." He started. "They were talking about their experiences with Royalty, and what it meant to them, so the five of them discussed it like a round table, going to each member and asking them about it." He said. "Four of them saw it as a nuisance, but were willing to put up with it, as long as they could use it to do some good." He said.

The man shook his head softly. "But Drake... was obviously agitated by his, he ranted about how it would whisper to him when he was alone, it would tease him, taunt him... I thought he was crazy until the others verified his claims with their own. They had the same problems when they were children... but they were able to block out the noise, and eventually the voices died down." He said.

"But Yuri's didn't." Ruby guessed. "Right... hell... even a few months ago when I saw him again I asked him about the voices, and he told me they were still there." He said. "So... so what?" Ruby asked. "Uhh... well it got a little deeper, he came back a few years later... after the others in ORB were killed, and he was talking to himself, saying that someone, two people, to be specific, had to die so he could be free." He finished.

"And those people?" Blake asked. He put up his hands. "He never said any names, just referred to 'em by color. Black and White." He said. "Said that Black had to die cause they hurt him, and is the reason he's alone." He said. Blake sucked in a breath, the old man's words slashing into her as if they came from Yuri's own mouth. Ruby turned to her slightly, but didn't refocus her gaze. "You alright?" She asked. Blake didn't respond, her long black hair shivering silently.

 _My eyes darted across the street from the rooftop._

 _Four bodies lay there, their blood pooling in a massive puddle._

 _Adam's group had long since disappeared back into the shadow..._

 _The young man didn't get there in time to save them..._

 _He was just standing there... looking at them._

 _His shirt and hands were stained with blood._

 _I think he had clutched the green-haired girl to his chest and spoke with her._

 _His face was covered in blood too._

 _One side from the girl's wound._

 _The other from the kiss she planted on his cheek just before she passed away._

 _Wait..._

 _Now..._

 _He's..._

 _Looking this way..._

 _No..._

 _Looking at me..._

 _He's saying something..._

 _What is it?_

 _Oh..._

" _I'll kill you."_

Blake sucked in a breath, her head rising up sharply from the bar where she had passed out. "Hey, welcome back to the world of the living... you okay?" Yang's voice rang in her ears. She turned to see the blonde smiling ear to ear. Blake shifted herself up. "Where's Ruby?" She asked. "She went back to Vale... Ozpin wanted to talk with her." Yang replied. "Why? Did something happen?" Blake asked, worried about a multitude of things.

"Yes... but in order for us to do something about it, our team leader needs to request time off... for all of us." She explained. "You found him, then?" Blake asked. "Not exactly, he turned on his location data for us... he's in Atlas... in his parents' home." Yang replied. "Are we... going after him?" Blake asked. "Ruby said she just wants us to talk to him... she wants to help him." Yang explained. "Alright... can we get going?" Blake asked. "You two are leaving now? Well... have a good night... I hope you can help Drake... he's not a bad kid, after all."

As they made their way out of the bar, Blake stumbled aggressively, as though she were intoxicated. "Ruby said you turned down a drink when you two arrived, did you decide otherwise when she left?" Yang teased playfully. "No." Blake said quietly. They continued their walk to the landing pad in silence, before Yang grabbed her from behind, wrapping her arms around her neck and nuzzling her cheek to the quiet girl's. "You feelin' okay, hon? You look like you've seen a ghost." Yang laughed nervously. "I... don't think I've seen a ghost... but... maybe... I've remembered a demon."

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"Hey... Yuri... I thought about what you said... I'll do it... I'll help you." Weiss called into the darkness of the room. She was lying on the bed, with the sheet pulled up over her head, but she was still freezing. She heard the door open, followed by a flood of light on the wall. A shadow was prominent on in the middle of the light. "Thank you, love... I'm glad... we'll leave tomorrow... since I'm sure Ruby will have to ask Oz for permission... and he'll give it to them, but they'll have to wait until morning." He replied.

 _He turned to face his twin sister. "Besides... it's not like they know what's actually going on."_


	22. Chapter 21 - Goodbye & Hello (3 of 3)

**RWBY: Grey Chapter (Part 3 of 3)**

Yuri's wrung his hands against one another as his eyes scanned the empty street below from the roof of the building. Weiss watched with him with worry. He had been staring at the same area of the street for hours, and she had yet to see exactly what was so special about it. "Hey... are you really sure about this?" She asked. He waved his hand noncommittally in response. "Look, we need him, and this is the only way to do it."

"I know... you've explained it enough times. But... it doesn't make it any easier to agree with it." She said. "I get it, I'm asking a lot. If you don't want to go through with this... we won't." He said. She shook her head fervently. "No, no, no. You've explained it clearly, and I understand that it's important. It's just... will it hurt?" She asked.

 **He** shook his head this time. "I can't to claim to know how it feels... but all change has a chance to bring pain. The only thing that can keep it from hurting badly is preparation." He said. She nodded, not knowing how else to respond. "Should I... say goodbye?" She asked. "I don't think that's entirely necessary at this moment." He said. He had turned towards her slightly, wearing a faint smile that filled her with hope.

A slight thud broke Weiss out of her focus. Miana had landed a few feet from them, clad in a cloak reminiscent of Yuri's. He turned to his sister, his face now stoic and clear. "Do you have it?" He asked plainly. She fumbled with the cloak for a moment, then tugged a string from underneath. A small purple stone attached to the string bounced softly against her chest as she released the string.

Weiss attempted to focus on the stone, but found it difficult, her mind filling with haze as the stone entered her field of vision. "Careful now, that stone is dangerous. Best for you to let your mind forget about it." Yuri said. "What is it?" She asked. He sighed, obviously frustrated that his advice had gone to waste. "It's a Rune, just know that it's important for today." He said.

Realizing quickly that he didn't want to talk about it, she simply nodded. "What about Anna?" He asked his sister, quickly changing the topic. "She's a few miles to the north. She wanted to make sure she was downwind for the shot." Miana explained. "Good... what about them?" He asked. His tone indicated that this would be his last question.

"They're on the way, their airship is about halfway here." She said. He hoisted himself onto the ledge. "Where are you going?" Weiss asked. He turned back to her, then jumped down. "Actually, I think now would be you're most opportune time to say goodbye." He said. As his words finally registered, she burst into a violent bout of sobbing.

Unsure whether he could stop the flow of tears, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him tightly, her tears pouring into his collar. He shushed her softly, both to reassure her and to keep himself calm. Her sobs didn't stop, nor did they worsen, but she seemed to be unable to control them herself. She continued crying for what seemed to be an eternity, but what was realistically only a few minutes, before pulling her head from his neck.

"Sorry... I guess this is going to be harder than I thought." She said, as she moved her hands up to the back of his neck. "Not at all, take your time." He responded. She moved her hands once more, this time to his cheeks. "So... I fall in love with you, panic trying to figure out how to tell you, finally get my chance, you tell me you feel the same... and now... this is happening?" She said. "Is my love life destined to fail?" She asked.

He leaned into her, hovering his mouth an inch or so from her ear. "Not if you admit to Ruby that you love her, too." He said. She pushed herself away from him with full strength. "I am **not**... a lesbian." She scoffed. "Yeah, that's true... you were fully intending on having sex with me that night." He said, tilting his head to the side, a rather triumphant look planted on his face.

"But... my Royalty can tell, and even if it couldn't, it wouldn't take a genius to interpret the looks you give her. You're madly in love with her." He said. She tried to deny his claims but he spoke over her every syllable. "Just. Tell her, when this is over, you may be pleasantly surprised by her response." He said. Without giving her the opportunity to respond, he hopped onto the ledge, then out into the street below.

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Ruby's head filled with scattered dreams, each of them wisping around, back and forth, before her mind finally chose one to focus on. She was standing on a flat, solid, red piece of land. Her hands were searing with a pain, and upon looking to them realized that they had been impaled. _"Ah ah ah."_ Yuri's voice rang out.

Her head shot up to find him standing a few meters from her, holding Yang, who was slumping over, covered in mud and dirt. _"I want you lookin' at me."_ He said with a rather aloof grin. "Do you know... what it feels like to watch someone you love die, or better yet, have them bleed out in your arms? I do."

His free hand moved to his sword which slid from its sheath without a sound, planting the tip to the side of Yang's head. "Well, I guess she's not going to stab herself." He said, plunging the blade through her skull. Ruby began to scream, but her vision went black, and she could feel a hand tapping against her cheek.

"Hey, lil sis. Wake up, we're almost there." Yang said. "Oh... jeez... I must have fallen asleep." She said. "Yeah, you feeling alright? You were mumbling a lot in your sleep." Blake noted. "Umm... I... think I'm okay, I'm just a little worried." Ruby said. "I get it, but... do you really think that Yuri is going to hurt Weiss?" Yang asked.

Ruby shook her head. "What do we even know about him? We've known him for less than two months." She said. "We don't really have the liberty of taking a chance on what we **think** he might do." She added. "Oooh, someone's sounding like a leader." Yang said. "I for one, think he wants something from us, I mean... he kidnapped our friend, if he really wanted us dead, then we'd be dead." She continued.

"True... he may want us for some reason we don't understand just yet." Blake added. "Right... but, it seems odd that he couldn't just talk to us about it." Yang noted. "Do you think it has anything to do with-" Blake began before Yang interrupted. "Blake, if he wanted you dead, you'd be dead already." She said.

Blake nodded. "You're right... and that's what bothers me, if he isn't doing this for revenge, then why? I mean, I'm likely Black, and that would probably mean Weiss is White... he wants us dead... that has to be it." She said. "Maybe... we won't know for sure until we get there and confront him for ourselves." Yang countered.

The rest of the flight was quiet as the girls pictured the meeting. None of their imaginations could bring forth a positive outcome. Ruby's mind flashed to the dream she had previously had, its implication fresh in her mind. Blake's thoughts turned to her memory of Yuri the day she realized what she had done. Yang's mind flashed to the first time they had been intimate. She shook her head to remove the images, trying her hardest to prepare herself for the impending confrontation.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ruby was the first to step off of the airship, her right hand fixed firmly to her weapon. Blake followed shortly after watching the rooftops with a bustling vigor. Yang was last, her gauntlets primed for whatever was coming. But nothing came, no noise, no signal, nothing. Yang pulled out Weiss' Scroll, then selected Yuri from a drop down list.

"He's about a mile from us... hey, don't you think it's a little odd... there's literally no one here." Yang said. Her observation was astute, the typically bustling Atlesian streets were completely empty, as though no one had lived there for years. "It's... kind of disconcerting... you think Yuri has something to do with it?" Blake asked.

Ruby nodded. "His Royalty is a complete unknown... he's dangerous, and if we fight him, we're probably going to lose." She said. "Yeah, we likely don't stand a chance, but then again... we can't just do nothing." Blake said. Yang pointed forward, towards a street corner. "If we take that street, we should be able to get to him soon, he's on some sort of back street."

The three of them moved slowly and deliberately, ensuring that they checked their surroundings constantly for any threat. After a few overreactions to little things, they began to loosen up a bit. Ruby had pulled her scythe from her back, steadying it against her chest in case she needed to shoot quickly. Blake had her Gambol Shroud ready to strike. Yang flicked her eyes forward, then down to the Scroll, continuing that pattern consistently.

They rounded the final corner, fully ready to be attacked at any moment. Their eyes fell on him, but the attack never came. He turned his gaze to them, a wry smile on his face. Weiss stood a few feet from him, a more joyful smile plastered on her face. "Your legs look like they're doing well, glad to see I didn't do any lasting damage." Yuri said.

The comment brought Ruby to a pause. Her eyes having a difficult time focusing on her supposed enemy. Yang stumbled a bit, and Blake nearly vomited from the pressure of their adversary. "Easy you three, I've been holding this negative barrier up all day, so it's pretty potent. Here... I'll loosen up a bit." He said.

The unease that had filled them drained slowly, and the ailments that had afflicted them dissipated. "There... better?" He asked. Blake responded with a nod, but her companions were more stoic. "Good, to be honest... it was never my intention to bring you any harm... but as I considered my goals when weighed against my options... it seemed to be the best way to get what I wanted." He said.

"So you couldn't just ask us to help you with whatever "this" is?" Ruby asked. "Perhaps... but in order to attain this... I needed you to move the way I wanted, and attacking you and taking Weiss with me was the most effective way to get this to occur. I know it'll be difficult to understand, but please believe, that I intended this from the start, when I first met with Ozpin." He said.

"But Ozpin didn't know why you were doing what you are." Yang said. "True, Ozpin had no idea what I intended when I first interrupted his mugging in the alleyway. I meant that I decided upon this plan of action when I first found out who he was." He explained. His hand drifted down to Hope's sheath. He slowly pulled it out, keeping his hands in the girls' view.

"Let me explain, ten years ago I was introduced to a horrid fact that I had seemingly no power over. My sister was being bullied because she was a Faunus. Now that's par for the course for a lot of people, but I had been gifted with a different view of the situation that many people had been victims of. My sisters discrimination left a mark on me that was propagated by a fact that was seemingly irrelevant. The way I looked."

He began strafing small circles around them. "It was that I didn't look like a Faunus that kept them from teasing and taunting me." He said. "So... you were angry because of that, so what?" Yang asked. "I'm getting there." He said. "You see... something else was happening that I soon became painfully aware of." He continued.

"It was soon obvious as to why I wasn't being bullied, and that's because I look Human. I don't have ears, or a tail. The only claim to my Faunus heritage that I possess are my vibrant yellow eyes." He said. "Over time, I realized that they were in fact bullying me, but in a much more mean-spirited way. They were simply ignoring my existence." He said.

"Now... I was a smart kid. My intelligence at the time was what made me able to understand exactly what was occurring. To be honest, the fact that Humans were ignoring me bothered me very little. Over time though, I began to notice it in the Faunus as well. It was small things at first, avoiding eye contact, then refusing to speak directly to me. For most kids... it probably wouldn't matter too much. Their families love them dearly, and mine did to, to be completely fair."

He dashed forward, his sword back in its sheath, and tapped each of his hands' index fingers on Ruby and Yang's foreheads. "But." He began as he jumped back. "I was born incredibly sick, and while I was smart, my weak body fostered a weak mental state, and a paranoia grew, deep inside my mind." He continued.

"The paranoia got to me... but not before it pushed me to do something strange, something that I just ended up doing on impulse." He said. Another dash forward, this time he tapped on Blake's forehead. After returning to his strafing around them, he finished his rambling. "I created a second personality using my Semblance, one that would take over in the case that my weak mind was ever fully compromised, to give it time to... well... heal." He said.

"But... I wasn't thinking clearly at the time, so I uh... fucked up the parameters for how this personality was created. Basically, I should have set it to last for a certain period, but I didn't. I also didn't consider my Royalty activating. In short, I created a personality that had no time limit to its existence, and I allowed my evil underside to latch onto the personality, and take control in certain situations."

"All in all, I truly screwed up." He said. "One day I slipped, and I lost my mind... so I... Yuri Kallen, kicked in." He said with a smile. "And... that's why you girls are here." He laughed. "You just have to do one little thing for me, and then you can get your teammate back, and I can give Drake his body back." He said.

"Wait... aren't... you Drake?" Ruby asked. "Physically... yes. Mentally, Drake is in what could be considered akin to a... coma." He said. "So... what do we have to do to help you?" Blake asked. He lifted his hands into the air. "Well... it's quite simple really... see when the body dies... the brain reboots for a single moment, then shuts down, so... you've just gotta kill me." He snapped his fingers.

Ruby reacted first, her body locking up, now full under his control. With a single swipe of his hand, she leapt over him clumsily. Another swipe had her extend her Crescent Rose fully. Yang and Blake had also been paralyzed, and another swipe caused her to dash towards him. She unleashed a number of unwieldy, yet powerful blows into his midriff. Six in total, the first two were accompanied by the sound of crunching bone. The rest, by a squelch that made Weiss' stomach churn.

Blood jettisoned from his lips, his left hand closing over his open mouth to attempt to stop the flow. His right hand swiped again, and Blake lunged forward, a single, perfect strike slashing his throat. Weiss turned away, remembering Yuri's words. _"Crush the lungs, slit the throat, sever the spine, pierce the heart, destroy the brain."_

Another swipe, Ruby moved this time, her scythe slamming into his side, the weakened flesh giving way easily, and his spine offering little resistance to the slash. One final swipe propelled Weiss forward, her Myrtenaster pulled from her side and directed right towards his heart. She struck true, the tip slamming straight through his chest.

The rest of the girls had gathered in front of their willing victim. He had dropped to his knees, a nasty wheeze in his breath and trail of blood dripping from his chin. He looked to the girls, nodded with a rather weak smile, then whispered a single word. "Anna." In an instant response, the crack of a rifle boomed through the street, and moments later, a projectile slammed itself hard enough into his head that he flew a few meters from where he had fallen.

He dropped to his stomach, now immersed in his own viscous blood. A moment of silence seemed to pass, before the scream of a girl in distress cut through the dead air. "MIANA!" Anna's voice rang. A shadow dropped from the rooftops above. His sister rushed to his side, turning him over onto his back.

"He's still alive girls... if any of you have something to say to Yuri, now's the time." Miana said. "What about Black and White?" Ruby asked. Blake rushed to his side, grasping his hand. "Who... are Black and White?" She asked. He coughed, spewing out a bit of blood that lazily dripped down his cheek. "You met Black... Weiss met White... in the forest... they are... a personification of... my negative qualities..." He said.

"So... you weren't trying to kill us?" She followed up. "No... no... never... okay... maybe I thought about it... that day back then... but even then... I knew it wouldn't... be worth it." He said. His head turned towards his sister. "Okay... let's do it." He said to her. He tilted his head upwards, and she grabbed his chin. She forced the pendant from earlier down his throat. It took him a moment, but eventually... he successfully swallowed it.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 _Runic... Begin..._

 _Startup Sequence... Successful..._

 _Damage Mitigation... Begin..._

 _Internal Injuries... Substantial..._

 _Attempting Repair... Successful..._

 _Neurological Injuries... Substantial..._

 _Attempting Repair... Successful..._

 _Damage to Bone Structure... Substantial..._

 _Attempting Repair... Successful._

 _Welcome Back... Drake..._

 _Ehwaz, Dagaz, Hagalaz, and Berkano are currently available._

 _Algiz, Ansuz, Perthro, and Jera will be available shortly._

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

I sucked in a deep breath, my heavy body finding it difficult to do anything other than stay still. _So that's what it's like to be a spectator of your own life. Interesting._ I felt my eyes flutter softly, the piercing light of the room I was in making me wish I hadn't opened them at all. "Hey everyone, he's awake." I heard the soft voice call out. "Anna... is that you?" I asked. My voice was different, deep and rich beyond what I could remember.

"Yeah... yeah it's me... Big Brother... Oh... I'm so happy you're okay." She said. I felt her arms wrap around my neck from behind, forcing my head into an uncomfortable position, and I recognized my surroundings as the room that my parents had kept for me in their house in Atlas. "Easy there... my spine needs to settle back in." I said. The door opened, and Miana, along with the others flooded into the room.

It was the first time I had seen the girls of Team RWBY in person, but it seemed like they were old friends. I chuckled a bit inside when I realized that that was exactly what they were. "Hello everyone, it's... good to meet you I suppose." I said. Their responses varied slightly. Ruby hopped up and down excitedly. Weiss smiled brighter than Yuri could ever remember. Yang hopped forward and wrapped her arms around my neck, and Blake placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Okay... okay... where's everyone else?" I asked. "Mother and Father took them to Vacuo on a vacation." Anna explained. "Okay... good. Then we can start." I said. "Start? Start what?" Ruby asked. "Well... I'm assuming it's still Friday... so... we need to discuss what I'm going to be doing this Sunday." I said.

" _I'll need you to help me one last time."_


	23. Chapter 22 - Restoration of Self

**RWBY: Gray Chapter 22**

 _Ughhhh... I feel hazy._

 _Oh... I remember this feeling..._

 _Numbness..._

 _It's the feeling of not being in control._

" _Yeah! You remember this?"_

 _A voice? I know that voice._

" _Hello?" I called out._

" _Hey there."_

 _He materialized like a puff smoke some distance in front of me, his long ashen hair falling to his shoulders. His eyes were a piercing yellow, and seemed to stare right through me._

 _"Yuri?" I asked._

" _Shit... you see your own face and the thing that comes to mind is my name? Man... I spent_ ** _way_** _too much time in your shoes." He laughed. "You didn't get all of me, by the way... I still have a pretty good gap in your subconscious to squeeze through." He said._

" _Yeah... I left it that way for a reason... mainly to see if you were still around... was my... voice always deeper than yours?" I asked._

 _He began moving around me, wringing his hands together._

" _I think so... uh... maybe... you're just a bit more sure of what your voice should sound like?" He asked._

" _Maybe... anyway... why are you here? I can't imagine you walked through the garage door of my subconscious just to sneak a peek at me." I said._

 _He snapped his fingers, a small, blue cloud popping into the haze next to him._

 _Almost instantly, I felt my sense of control return to me. A wave of warmth washed over my limbs, alleviating their numbness._

" _Right... so... straight to it, then?"_

 _He moved toward me, tapping his hand to my shoulder._

" _I'm going to take you on a little journey. Your cognitive functions seem okay, but I want to check your recollective functions." He said._

" _So... memories?" I asked._

" _Not just memories... memories that you weren't conscious for." He said._

" _Umm... you do know how memories work... right? They... uh, tend not to be produced by someone who's unconscious." I explained._

" _Right... which is why I'm not searching for physical memories... the body... meaning in both Humans and Faunus, there is a set of instinctual actions that fall under a certain area of the brain. In medicine, it's called the Limbic System. It also has control over the imagination... and in some cases... it houses the initial bits of Royalty in fetuses, before it releases it at birth." He said._

" _Yeah... the innocence period. I've read some of Mother's books, most people who have Royalty have it present at birth... Miana did... I didn't... but what I did have was... agonizing pain... and pain... is the body's way of telling a person that something's wrong... or that something needs to change." I explained._

" _That's true... but... since we aren't here for you to give a thesis on pain... let's... get to the big part of this little rendezvous." He said._

 _He snapped his fingers, the blue mist turning a soft white, spinning and swirling, before taking a solid shape, a cube._

" _Let's start... with... this."_

 _He snapped his fingers again, the cloud shifted its shape, molding into a human shape, then splitting into more, varying shapes. I realized exactly what it had become after letting the image settle._

" _It's... me."_

" _Correction... it's you... about nine years ago. This... is from... the moment you decided on what you were going to do about Miana's bullies."_

 _The other shapes swirled, one becoming larger than me, and the others smaller, huddled together in what was probably a corner._

 _It was a woman and girl. I recognized the girl, but not the woman, who I assumed was her mother._

 _The younger me was holding a knife in his left hand, and a small revolver in his right._

 _The largest shape finally formed, a man, likely the girl's father. He had his fingers clenched around a knife of his own._

 _In a mad dash, the man rushed towards me, desperately attempting to plunge the knife into me. I easily deflected the blade despite my small size. In a single motion, I had jammed the revolver into his chest, unleashing three shots into the man, who promptly dropped to the ground._

 _The young me turned to the woman and girl, and I felt my stomach churn._

" _I really did this?" I asked._

" _Yeah... I think deep down you knew what was going to happen, and it blacked you out so you wouldn't remember. It seems like it worked." Yuri said._

" _But... I took the weapons with me to protect myself." I countered._

" _Right... do you remember **exactly** why you blacked out?" He asked._

" _Well... I... remember... pain, I think?"_

" _Right... pain... but what pain? Physical pain? Mental?"_

" _Ph-Physical." I groaned._

 _A cold shiver forced its way into me, causing me to shiver violently. The thought of my own two hands being used to end the life of another person made me feel horrible. I had come to terms with Yuri killing others in certain cases being acceptable, but as for doing it myself, I felt like I could never- convince myself to commit such an act._

" _Right... right... physical pain... why would you feel physical pain? Could it be... because you were in pain at some point incredibly close to the moment you blacked out?"_

 _I felt a wave of anger course through me._

" _If you've got something to say, then FUCKING say it!" I screamed._

 _The outburst was completely unexpected, even to me, and my eyes had widened in shock at my actions._

" _Anger, huh? That's a good sign for us. Why are you angry?" He asked._

" _I... I don't know... it just kind of hit me, it was like a... an impulse. This... didn't happen when I was younger." I noted._

" _Right... it must be starting to leak... so... I'll spare you the visual aid. The family you slaughtered had a bodyguard, a rather good one at that. You, at the ripe age of ten, engaged that bodyguard in combat, and you won, obviously. But she got in a few good hits, including a nice, clean shot through the chest... now... Runic can heal you about as effectively as Royalty... but... do you know the difference?" He asked._

" _Uh... no... I don't suppose I know?" I admitted._

" _Runic can't heal you when you're conscious, Royalty can... now... stay with me here, what if you were born with two personalities, but one was always pushed down?" He asked._

" _That's... unlikely, I think that I'd know if there was some other personality banging on my mental doors." I said._

" _You do... you've been feeling it since birth, in fact." He chuckled._

" _Huh? No... that doesn't make sense. The Limbic System controls instinct and emotion, the Parietal Lobe is the part of the brain that controls pain there's no way that... wait..." I slowed my speech, the implications running rampant in my sleeping mind._

" _If... the second personality was attempting to give my body commands, it would be doing so from the Limbic System... if it wanted to take over, it would have to rely on making my instincts overpower my common sense... incidentally... if my Royalty were formed near the edge of my Limbic System, rather than the center... it could have manifested as a film around the System itself. But that's insane... it's a bunch of nearly impossible circumstances, all condensing into a nearly impossible personification."_

" _Yeah... and yet, here you are. Your very existence is an improbability. Yet... you stand before me, my very creator. YOU, my master... are the most improbable thing to ever occur... of course... you and I know quite well." He started._

" _Horrid occurrences happen regardless of improbability." I finished._

" _Good man... we win... when we recognize our own futility. However... **you**... aren't so futile." He laughed._

" _Okay... get to the point." I demanded._

" _Sure... that... well, other personality of yours... well... I have doubts as to its stability. When I forced myself out, I didn't shatter as a being, but it seemed to be greatly affected, despite not being involved... but I'm not even sure that it's an entire personality... it seems as though it may simply be a ball of rage with some sentience. I'd imagine that it's probably directing the entirety of its anger towards you, likely because it sees you as its jailer, of sorts."_

 _So he said, but his words confused me greatly._

" _I'm hearing you... but I don't get it... why does this thing matter at all?"_

" _Damn... have you gotten dumber? Or have you just forgotten how badly the thought of killing someone makes you wretch?" He sneered._

 _The thought crossed my mind._

" _Okay... the importance of the personality though?" I redirected._

" _You're gonna use it." He said._

 _Simple... and fucking crazy._

" _You want me to... let this thing into my mind?" I asked._

" _Yep... it'll be a boon when you face Taurus."_

 _That's right... he got mixed up, wanting to fight that guy._

" _Ugh... that's frustrating... why should I fight a battle that you got yourself into?" I asked._

" _You don't have to fight him... but you will, he's too radical a variable for you and your master plan." He laughed._

 _I sighed. He was right, Taurus was dangerous, to both Humans **and** Faunus._

" _Fine... that didn't go anywhere... what do I have to do?" I asked._

 _A soft, red mist began pouring from the orifices on his face. I could feel a tug on my being, and I was soon pulled fully into the dream state. My body ached with the vibrations associated with Runic's healing, and my eyes widened as I realized what had happened._

 _He's pulled me in._

My hands instinctively shot to my left hip, where I found Hope. Pulling it from its sheath, and leveling the blade horizontally towards Yuri.

"You let it into what's left of you... didn't you?" I asked.

He nodded in response.

"You need to beat this thing into submission, then make its fury into a part of you." He said.

" _I mean... come on... if you can't beat your own creation... there's no way you can force the world to submit to you."_


	24. Poll Notice

**THE POLL OF LIFE AND DEATH**

No, but seriously, to all of you who enjoy my RWBY stuff, since RWBY: Grey is coming to an end relatively soon, I've decided to create a poll for you guys to vote on so you can help me decide between the two stories floating around in my unbridled consciousness.

So do me a favor and VOTE, you degenerates!

I suppose that i should add that you can vote by going to my profile.

As always, thanks.


	25. Make Voting Great Again

Seriously… there's a poll on my profile.

You guys need to fucking vote.

Otherwise I'm just going to do what I want, and it might not be RWBY.

So go vote.


	26. Dossiers of the Damned Preview

**Dossiers of the Damned**

 **Chapter 1: Strangers in the Night**

 **To those of you reading from the RWBY: Grey story, enjoy the first chapter of my new story: Dossiers of the Damned.**

 **I apologize for the lack of spacing between paragraphs, the iOS app doesn't seem to have a way to insert them at all.**

The misty air of the Atlesian border town was unlike that of any other city in Atlas; crisp, clean, and otherwise untainted by the toxins of heavy industry. This boon came at a cost, however, and meant that the town lacked the more advanced methods of security and production.

It did not, however, mean that there was no security at all. This was apparent, as there was a loud, shrill alarm screaming into the night, its source the broken window of a bank close to the center of the town. The building's lights were a piercing white, and shone like a star in the otherwise murky darkness.

The alarm had been ringing for only two minutes when most of the nearby houses' windows were opened, allowing their inhabitants to see exactly what had caused the broken window as well as the disturbance of the rather calm night.

As they craned their necks to get a view of what was going on, two figures broke the curtain of mist, walking, not away from the noise, but towards it. As they slowly approached the bank, one of the homeowners gasped, waving to their neighbors and pointing at the figures.

There were two people, one, short, male, and carrying a large object on his back, the other, small, female, and holding the hand of the first. As they grew nearer and nearer, another gasp rocked the space between the houses, as they realized that the young man was carrying, not an object, but a body.

They reached the bank after a moment of silence, the pale light illuminating their features for the onlookers.

The man had a handsome face, angular and thin-lipped. He was short, likely only just reaching five and a half feet. He had light skin, dark brown hair, and pale, grey eyes. He was wearing a black leather jacket and black jeans, the only splash of color coming from the dark blue shoes on his feet.

The small girl clinging to his hand was just under five feet tall. She had the same fair skin as her companion, but silvery white hair and matching white eyes. She was wearing a thin, lacy blue dress and white dress shoes. What was more interesting about her, however, was her right arm.

Metallic silver, and emitting a faint, eerie red glow, her arm looked more like a mech part than something that belonged on a person. Wires could be seen in between the spaces wher joints would typically be located, and, towards her shoulder, they emerged momentarily, before slipping ominously down the back of her dress, towards her spine.

Clutched in her hand was a large sack that seemed nearly the same size as she was, and was obviously quite heavy. It dragged noisily along the ground at her back, although she didn't seem to be struggling with it in the slightest.

They stepped into the bank through the door, rather than the open window, and began to search the empty, barren building.

"It's here." The girl said softly, pointing to the open vault door.

"Good, go ahead and put the bag back in there... I suspect the authorities will be here at some point." The man responded.

The girl carried the bag into the open vault, and, sure enough, the sound of police sirens began closing in on them, causing the man to raise his head.

The vehicle arrived moments later, parking silently just in front of the bank, two officers, both women, quickly entered, their weapons drawn.

"Easy officers... just bringing back the criminal and the objects that were stolen." The man said with a grin. "Lu is in the vault, putting it back." He added.

At this, the girl bustled out of the vault, rushing back to his side and taking his hand once again.

"The man." She said simply.

"Ah! Quite right!" He said, setting the unconscious man on the floor in front of the officers.

"Well, here he is. I suppose you want the two of us to come in with you to give statements?" He asked.

Finally, one of the officers spoke. She was large, just over six feet, and had dusky brown skin and hair.

"Yes. I think that would be best. Lurevayne! You sit in the back with the suspect, you two need to ride up front." She barked.

The short ride to the station was as silent as ever, although the man and girl exchanged a few glances with one another. They stepped out together, both focused on the simple building as they followed the officers inside.

The police station was rather barren, holding only a few cells for temporary prisoners, as well as two small offices that seemed laden with clutter.

"You can put the perp in one of the cells, then you can take the girl int-." The leading officer began, before looking to her subordinate. "On second thought, take the guy, I'll question the girl."

At this, the young girl backed away from the officer, her hand instinctively reaching up for her companion's fingers.

"It's alright, Lu... you can go with her, I'll be right beside you in the other office." He said with a smile.

Turning to the younger officer, the man smiled and gestured for her to lead the way. Following her silently into her office, he sat down in a small chair opposite her cluttered desk, where a large, green holo-screen sat alight.

"So... Lurevayne... that's an odd last name... is your first name as strange?" He asked, eyeing her with slight interest.

"No, it's... Holly, Holly Lurevayne." She said, her pale cheeks blushing under his gaze. "And your name is?" She questioned.

"Holm, Holm Chromatta." He answered.

"And the girl's?" She pressed.

"Lutece... she's never told me her last name, if you need to put something down, you can use mine." He said, waving a hand uncaringly.

"Chromatta... you're not in the system as an Atlas resident... it says you're from Mistral, in fact. Wouldn't that make you-"

"Yeah, Darrin Chromatta's son." He finished.

She watched him for a moment, then shrugged.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hold it against you, I can't imagine you were more than ten when he did it, right?" She asked tentatively.

"Just about, I suppose, my memory from back then is rather poor, but I do remember the day specifically... it was... hectic, to say the least." He chuckled.

"Well... as I said, I won't hold it against you, but I still need to ask you some questions to ensure our system data is accurate." She noted.

"I'm ready." He said, drumming his fingers on his knees softly as he waited.

"You're twenty years old, are you not?" She asked.

He nodded.

"Okay... and you lived in the... eastern region of Mistral?"

Another nod.

"Good... this says you attended... the Forge Academy of Weapon Building... not many people are as interested in making weapons as wielding them, I can respect that you're the former... wait."

Her fingers had paused from moving along the screen's surface, her eyes focused on a single line of text on his Academic Record.

EXPELLED - SERIOUS HUMAN/FAUNUS RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

"You violated the charter for Human and Faunus rights... how?" She asked.

"You've met her... Lutece. Lu, as I call her... she is... the daughter of the Headmistress at Forge, or she was... Headmistress got sick, then died. The girl knew I was researching processes to turn people into weapons, I guess she heard it from her mother... but a few weeks after she died, Lu came to me, asking me if I could make her... "strong" was the word she used. Well, I made her strong the only I knew how... and, the rest of the Academy had a bit of a problem with it. I didn't stay much longer anyway... Lu's been following me ever since." He said, taking a breath as he finished.

"So... she wanted that arm she's got?"

The question was the only thing the officer could think to ask after hearing his explanation.

"Yep... I spent several months tinkering after I removed her arm, it had already been a year by the time I was satisfied with the device she's got. She's a little too young to be intimately familiar with the specifics of the model, so if something goes wrong, I need to be around to get her fighting fit." He said, smiling towards the holo-screen.

"Well, I can't find anything that we'd need to keep you here for, but I do need a quick statement regarding that break in." She said, tapping the notepad on her screen.

"Well, not much to say... we were walking through town, we heard the alarm go off, then the idiot who did it ran towards us. I would have had Lu take him down, but she's not too familiar with her arm yet, so I did it instead. I only hit him once, but I imagine he'll be unconscious until morning." He said.

"Probably... so you just... happened upon the scene?" She asked.

"More or less, we figured things out after we checked the bag." He said with a shrug.

"Alright then, I don't think there's anything else to be honest... what are you here for, if you don't mind me asking?"

"We're here for a meeting on the outskirts of town. Sorry, but I'm not at liberty to discuss the topic of the meeting." He said.

Tapping her screen a few more times, she gave him a smile, then stood.

"Well, I can't think of any other reason to keep you two here any longer, I'll check to see if the Captain's done with Miss Lutece, then I'll be back to see you two off." She said.

She disappeared through the door behind him, then, moments later, returned with Lutece.

"Ready to go Lu?" He asked.

"Yep. I'm getting a little hungry, though. Think the old man will have food for us?" She asked, taking his hand.

"Maybe, if not, we can get something." He smiled.

"Thank you for your time, you two, I hope your journey goes well." Anais said, opening the door to let them pass.

"Well, come on, Lu, we'll be late if we don't get a move on."

They stepped out into the crisp night air, once again intent on reaching their destination. They passed under the occasional streetlight or through a small neighborhood, but their travel was not impeded any further. The end of the rural town came rather naturally, as, rather than a well defined border of protection to mark the end, homes and buildings simply began to be more and more scarce.

A vast sea of trees and shrubbery soon stood before the pair of them, and they stopped moving long enough to sit down for a while. Holm pulled a small Scroll from his jacket pocket, then tapped the screen a few times.

"Two o'clock on the dot, should be here in about ten minutes if his correspondence is reliable." He said, sitting back on the grass beneath them.

"Should we be careful about him sneaking up on us?" Lutece asked.

"I doubt it, he wants our help, and I think he wants to keep a good report with the two of us." He said, calmly placing a hand on her head.

They fell silent, then, sure enough, a disturbance broke their stupor, a small rustling in the trees to their right capturing their attention immediately. Holm stood quickly, pulling Lutece up with him.

A young woman pushed her way through the thick brush, eyes trained on the both of them.

"You Chromatta?" She asked.

"I am, I suppose you're an agent of Mr. Galvari." He said, raising his Scroll to cast a bit of light on the space between them.

"Indeed. Well, I'm sure you two have been traveling for a while, but I'm afraid we don't have much time to waste... so, if you're ready to keep moving, we should get going."

Holm looked to Lutece as if to ask her condition. With a slight nod, they stepped forward.

"We're ready, I suppose it isn't much farther?"

"No, we'll be there within an hour. Let's move."

With that, she pushed her way back into the brush. Holm squeezed Lu's hand, then, with a single glance back to the sleepy town, he too slipped into the tree line without a sound, followed only by the girl behind him.


End file.
